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1861-1900 


Cbe  Confederate 
Monument  on  Capitol  Ibtll 

flDontgomer^,  Elabama..., 


puMtsbeb  bs  tbe  Xafcies’  dfcemcrtal  association. 
JEbtteb  bg  flfcrg.  If.  /&.  porter  ©eftenben. 


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/\  3 1 ^ 


DEDICATION. 


TO  THE  BRAVE  AND  TRUE. 


This  little  work  has  been  done  to  save  me  from  heart-break 
— out  of  the  depths  it  comes,  a slight  token  of  love  to  my  asso- 
ciates and  friends.  Its  greatest  merit  consists  in  the  presen- 
tation of  the  beautiful. thoughts  of  others,  the  gems  of  oratory 
that  are  worthy  of  a more  brilliant  setting  than  these  simple 
pages. 


1.  M.  P.  O. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2015 


https://archive.org/details/confederatemonum01ocke 


1861 


1900. 


THE  CONFEDERATE  MONUMENT 


ON  CAPITOL  HILL,  MONTGOMERY,  ALA. 


CORNER  STONE  LAID  BY  PRESIDENT  DAVIS,  APRIL  26th,  1886, 
UNVEILED,  DECEMBER  7th,  1898. 


“THE  SOUTHERN  LAUREL  WITH  HER  FRAGILE  BLOOM 
WEEPS  BY  THE  UNKNOWN  HERO’S  TOMB.” 


N tlie  7th  day  of  December,  1S9S,  was  unveiled 
® The  Monument  to  the  Confederate  Soldiers  and 
Sailors  of  Alabama.  The  noble  shaft  commem- 
orates the  heroism  of  mau  and  of  woman.  It  is  the  ex- 
quisite title  page  to  the  history  of  the  Ladies'  Memorial 
Association.  It  is  finished  after  more  than  thirty  years’ 
labor  of  love,  and  has  been  presented  with  beautiful  and 
touching  ceremonies  to  the  State  of  Alabama.  It  adorns 
the  Capitol  grounds,  standing  within  one  hundred  yards 
from  where  stood  President  Davis  when  he  took  the  oath 
of  office  and  just  outside  of  the  windows  of  the  chamber 
where  the  first  Congress  of  the  Confederate  States  as- 
sembled in  the  momentous  year  of  1861.  It  is  a magnifi- 
cent monument,  its  cost  being  forty-five  thousand  dol- 
lars, and  is  more  aesthetic  and  graceful  than  Bartholdi's 
statue  of  Liberty  in  New  York  harbor.  Its  base  is 
thirty-four  feet  square  and  consists  of  four  layers  of 
stone,  with  as  many  steps.  These  lead  to  four  pedestals ; 
on  each  of  these  is  a statue,  an  infantryman,  a cavalry- 
man, an  artilleryman  and  a sailor,  each  representing  his 
branch  of  the  service. 

From  out  of  the  common  center  arises  a 70-foot  circu- 
lar shaft,  5 feet  in  diameter.  A bas  relief,  wrought  in 


4 


bronze  around  this  shaft  represents  troops  on  the  march. 
From  this  towers  the  pile  of  stone,  3 feet  in  diameter  at 
its  base,  tapering  to  an  apex  of  30  inches,  the  height 
broken  by  two  exquisite  stone-wreaths  of  flowers,  and 
surmounted  by  a Corinthian  cap-stonewitli  its  coronal  of 
pendant  olive  and  acanthus  leaves.  Upon  this  pinnacle 
stands  a female  figure,  also  in  bronze,  typifying  “Patriot- 
ism.” In  one  hand  is  held  a flag,  the  other  a sword,  as  if  a 
mother  tendered  the  blade  to  her  sons  for  her  defense. 
This  conception  from  the  brain  of  one  of  the  best  sculp- 
tors of  our  country,  Mr.  Alex.  Doyle,  has  been  admirably 
executed  and  adds  ten  feet  to  the  height  of  the  Monu- 
ment, which  reaches  fifteen  feet  above  the  State  Capitol. 
Gracefully  silhouetted  against  the  beautiful  skies  of  the 
Land  we  Love,  in  sunshine  or  in  storm,  the  noble  creation 
forever  reminds  Alabama  of  the  men  who  fell  in  her  de- 
fense. Truly  this  is  historic  ground.  The  memorial 
shaft  fitly  stands  by  the  Cradle  of  the  Confederacy.  Here 
was  born  the  fairest  child  of  the  Nations  of  the  World, 
and  here  we  pause  to  weep  beside  her  untimely  tomb. 
On  yonder  spot  a single  star  marks  where  stood  the  first, 
last  and  only  President  of  the  Confederate  States  of 
America,  and  these  whispering  trees  around  us,  trans- 
planted from  the  battlefields,  tell  the  sad  story  of  Rachel 
among  Nations,  mourning  for  her  dead.  The  Memorial 
Star  was  placed  here  by  “The  Sophie  Bibb  Chapter  of  the 
Daughters  of  the  Confederacy  and  was  the  poetic  sug- 
gestion of  Mrs.  Sallie  Hails  Janney,  the  daughter  of 
Capt.  Geo.  Hails,  one  whose  open  hand  and  heart  was 
ever  ready  to  serve  his  country  or  his  fellow-man. 

The  first  call  to  erect  monuments  to  our  fallen  heroes, 
issued  by  The  Southern  Historical  Society,  met  a 
proud  response  in  the  heart  of  woman  and  the  deepest 
sympathy  from  the  survivors  of  that  unequal  struggle. 
The  first  meeting  for  the  purpose  Avas  held  in  the  House 
of  Representatives,  Ex-Gov.  Tlios.  H.  Watts  presiding. 
The  minutes  kept  by  the  Secretary,  Hon.  B.  F.  Porter, 
of  Butler  county,  are  preserved  in  the  archives  of  the 
State,  at  Tuscaloosa,  Ala.  Few  remain  avIio  were  pres- 
ent, Of  these,  General  Jno.  W.  A.  Sanford,  of  this  city, 
is  a notable  example  of  the  scholarly  patriots  whose  elo- 
quence was  only  equalled  by  their  emotions  upon  the  day 
of  this  sorrowful  gathering  in  honor  of  the  dead.  The 
impoverished  condition  of  the  people  and  the  dark  days 


5 


of  reconstruction  hindered  the  work  and  it  was  finally 
suspended  by  these  adverse  circumstances,  during  the 
distressing  time  of  military  rule. 

This,  however,  did  not  hinder  the  work  of  the  Ladies' 
Memorial  Association. 

To  return  to  the  thrilling  period  when  the  Bed  Horse 
came  with  pitiless  hoof  and  trod  the  Land  of  Flowers 
from  the  far  blue  mountains  to  the  sea.  Blood  was  spilt. 
The  first  wounded  soldiers  were  met  by  women,  who 
bound  up  their  wounds  and  nursed  them  to  health,  thus 
serving  as  humane  recruiting  officers  in  the  service  of 
the  State. 

One  of  the  best  and  loveliest  of  her  kind,  one  whose 
memory  “is  fragrant  as  lilies  from  afar,”  a gentlewoman 
in  every  sense  of  the  word,  Mrs.  Dr.  Bellinger,  the  fit- 
ting lady  of  as  courtly  a knight  as  ever  wore  the  fleur  de 
Us,  gave  as  a home  for  these  wounded  heroes  two  cot- 
tages on  Bellinger  Heights,  where  she  and  her  dear  com- 
panions met  and  ministered  unto  them.  There  was  no 
organization,  but  animated  by  the  same  sublime  spirit, 
they  worked  together  with  untiring  zeal.  Prominent 
among  these  was  Mrs.  Judge  B.  S.  Bibb,  who  became 
known  in  the  annals  of  the  Confederacy  as  “Aunt 
Sophie.”  The  work  outgrew  the  cottages,  where  many  a 
poor  sufferer  found  comfort  and  strength  for  renewed 
endeavor,  or  closed  their  eyes  under  the  pitying  touch  of 
gentle  hands.  Then  the  Woman’s  Hospital  Association 
was  organized  to  meet  the  greater  demands  of  the  troub- 
lous times,  in  the  same  year,  1861.  Mrs.  Judge  Bibb  was 
elected  President,  and  remained  in  office  until  the  close 
of  the  war.  With  her  were  associated  the  best  and 
noblest  women  of  Montgomery.  The  building  on  the 
corner  of  Bibb  and  Commerce  streets,  was  fitted  up  for 
the  Woman’s  Hospital  and  was  the  scene  of  their  sacred 
labors.  The  Hebrew  Society,  of  which  our  highly  es- 
teemed citizen  and  present  Vice-President,  Mrs.  C.  J. 
Hausman,  was  President,  became  an  auxiliary  of  won- 
drous influence  and  co-operated  generously  in  every  de- 
partment of  labor  and  expense,  until  the  fatal  year  of 
1865,  when  the  Hospital  was  closed.  The  benevolent  task 
assumed  such  proportions  that  Mrs.  Bibb,  the  President, 
whose  gentle  firmness  fitted  admirably  for  the  position, 
applied  to  President  Davis  for  assistance  from  the  Gov- 
ernment. This  was  readily  granted  and  it  became  a 


6 


Confederate  Hospital,  afterwards  reported  by  the  Sur- 
geon-General to  be  one  of  the  best  managed  hospitals 
within  our  borders.  Prior  to  that  time,  supplies  bad 
been  given,  all  free-will  offerings,  by  these  worthy  ladies 
and  those  patriotic  citizens  of  Montgomery  and  sur- 
rounding country  who  brought  timely  and  practical  aid, 
and  sympathy  to  the  great  undertaking  .and  continued 
their  generous  donations,  until  alas,  the  arbitrament  of 
the  sword  closed  its  doors.  Among  these  Florence  Night- 
ingales arise  a multitude  of  sweet  faces;  one  of  these  is 
Mrs.  Eliza  Moore,  prominent  for  industry  and  patriot- 
ism among  those  tireless  toilers  whose  needles  were  as 
Hashing  blades  in  battle;  Mrs.  W.  B.  Bell,  gifted  as  a 
skillful  and  patient  nurse,  whose  presence  made  men 
murmur  the  names  of  mothers,  sisters  and  wives,  as  these 
devotees  bent  over  them;  and  thither  went  Mrs.  Sarah 
Herron,  Bible  in  hand,  to  read  and  pray  with  the  sick 
and  dying.  Many  such  heroines  are  unrecorded  on  the 
roll  of  fame,  but  like  the  unmarked  graves,  scattered 
over  the  land,  of  holiest  meaning, they  have  made  the 
word  Unknown!  Five  hundred  sick  and  wounded  have 
been  nursed  there  at  a time,  and  the  carriage  of  Mrs. 
Bibb  followed  eight  hundred  to  their  graves.  Many  who 
toiled  thus  in  their  womanly  way,  have  passed  on  with 
noiseless  step  to  the  Veiled  Beyond.  But  their  descend- 
ants may  feel  that  the  Monument  commemorates  the 
heroism  of  brave  mothers  as  well  as  gallant  sires. 

The  war  was  over.  The  soldiers  had  passed  away  to 
their  graves,  or  to  the  ashes  of  their  homes  and  these 
labors  now  became  strictly  memorial.  During  the 
latter  part  of  the  war  Mrs.  Bibb  frequently  talked 
of  her  plans  for  an  Association  when  the  war 
was  ended,  for  the  careful  burial  of  Alabama 
soldiers  who  had  fallen  upon  the  various  battle- 
fields and  for  the  erection  of  headstones  over  those 
buried  in  our  cemetery.  Among  those  whose  sympathy 
was  invaluable  in  what  was,  in  those  days,  a task  of  her- 
culean proportions,  no  co-laborer  was  more  highly  es- 
teemed by  Mrs.  Bibb  than  her  friend,  the  devoted  Mrs. 
Dr.  W.  O.  Baldwin,  whose  zeal  was  intensified  by  a great 
personal  sorrow.  These  were  intimately  associated  and 
oft  took  counsel  together  in  regard  to  these  sacred  inter- 
ests, up  to  the  close  of  their  beautiful  lives.  Within  three 
weeks  after  the  flag  of  the  Southern  Confederacy  was 


7 


furled,  in  the  execution  of  these  long-clierished  pur- 
poses, Mrs.  Judge  Bibb  and  others  of  those  noble  women 
who  had  co-operated  so  faithfully  in  ministering  to  the 
comfort  of  those  who  fought  the  bravest  tight  was  ever 
fought,  began  to  solicit  contributions  from  citizens 
eminent  for  love  of  country,  for  this  laudable  effort. 
Our  people,  with  hearts  in  accord  with  every  movement 
to  honor  our  illustrious  Confederate  dead,  responded 
cordially.  A meeting  was  called  by  the  ladies  at  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  on  the  16th  of  April,  1866, 
and  a Society,  the  outgrowth  of  the  Hospital  Associa- 
tion, was  organized  under  the  name  of  “The  Ladies’  So- 
ciety for  the  Burial  of  Alabama  Soldiers.”  The  follow- 
ing is  a reprint  of  the  record  of  proceedings.  Subsequent 
meetings  were  held  at  the  historic  old  home  of  the  Presi- 
dent. This  document,  containing  constitution  and  reso- 
lutions, was  drawn  up  by  request  of  Mrs.  Judge  B.  S. 
Bibb,  by  Rev.  S.  D.  Cox,  (who  became  the  First  Assis- 
tant. Secretary,)  to  be  presented  at  the  meeting  for  or- 
ganization. Dr.  Cox  was  one  whose  diversity  of  talents 
was  only  equalled  by  his  patriotism  and  zeal,  in  prac- 
tical service  to  the  Association : 

“CONSTITUTION,  RESOLUTIONS,  &C., 

OF  THE 

Ladies’  Society  for  the  Burial  of  Alabama  Soldiers. 

At  a meeting  of  the  Ladies  of  Montgomery,  held  pur- 
suant to  notice,  at  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  on 
Monday,  the  16th  day  of  April,  1866,  to  devise  ways  and 
means  for  raising  funds  to  have  the  remains  of  Alabama 
Soldiers,  now  lying  scattered  over  the  various  battle- 
fields of  the  war,  collected  and  deposited  in  public  burial 
grounds,  or  elsewhere,  where  they  may  be  saved  from 
neglect,  Mrs.  Judge  Bibb  was  requested  to  preside  over 
the  meeting,  and  Mrs.  Dr.  Baldwin  requested  to  act  as 
Secretary. 

The  object  of  the  meeting  was  explained  by  the  Chair; 
and,  on  motion  of  Mrs.  Dr.  Baldwin,  a Committee  of  five 
was  appointed  by  the  Chair  to  consider  of  and  report 
some  plan  that  might  best  promote  the  object  of  the 
meeting,  and  to  recommend  the  names  of  suitable  per- 
sons as  permanent  officers  of  this  Society. 

The  Chair  appointed  on  this  Committee,  Mrs.  Dr. 


8 


Baldwin,  Chairman;  Mrs.  Wm.  Johnson,  Mrs.  Judge 
Kice,  Mrs.  Dr.  Holt  and  Mrs.  Dr.  James  Ware,  who  re- 
tired and,  after  consultation,  suggested  the  following 
names  as  permanent  officers;  and,  on  motion  of  Mrs. 
Wm.  Pollard,  they  were  unanimously  elected : 

Mrs.  Judge  Bibb,  President; 

Mrs.  Judge  Phelan,  Vice-President; 

Mrs.  Dr.  Baldwin,  Secretary; 

Mrs.  E.  C.  Hannon,  Treasurer. 

This  Committee,  after  suggesting  permanent  officers, 
reported  the  following  resolutions,  which  were  unani- 
mously adopted : 

1.  Resolved,  That  it  is  a sacred  duty  of  the  people  of  the  South  to 
preserve  from  desecration  and  neglect,  the  mortal  remains  of  the 
brave  men  who  fell  in  her  cause,  to  cherish  a grateful  recollection 
of  their  heroic  sacrifices  and  to  perpetuate  their  memories 

2.  Resolved.  That  we  earnestly  request  our  countrywomen  to  unite 
with  us  in  our  efforts  to  contribute  all  necessary  means  to  provide  a 
suitable  resting  place  and  burial  for  our  noble  and  heroic  dead  ; that 
we  will  not  rest  our  labors  until  this  sacred  duty  is  performed. 

3.  Resolved.  That  in  order  to  raise  funds  to  carry  out  the  objects 
expi'essed  in  the  foregoing  resolutions,  we  constitute  ourselves  a So- 
ciety to  be  styled  ‘’The  Ladies’  Society  for  the  Burial  of  Deceased 
Alabama  Soldiers,”  and  that  we  solicit  voluntary  contributions  for 
the  same  ; and  that  we  will  hold  in  this  city  on  Tuesday,  the  first  day 
of  May  next,  and  annually  on  the  first  day  of  May  thereafter,  and 
oftener  if  deemed  expedient,  exhibitions,  consisting  of  Concerts, 
Tableaux.  Juvenile  Recitations,  Songs,  Suppers,  &c.,  &c  , to  be  regu- 
lated and  determined  by  Committees  to  be  appointed  for  that 
purpose. 

4.  Resolved,  That  to  carry  oui  these  plans,  an  Executive  Commit- 
tee shall  be  appointed,  which  shall  have  authority  to  appoint  sub- 
committees and  agents  at  their  discretion. 

5.  Resolved.  That  the  President  of  this  Society,  together  with  the 
present  resident  Ministers  in  charge  of  the  different  Churches  of 
this  city,  and  their  successors  in  office,  shall  constitute  a Committee 
for  the  purpose  of  keeping  and  making  proper  application  of  the 
funds  raised  by  this  Society. 

6.  Resolved , That  any  lady  can  become  a member  of  this  Society 
by  registering  her  name,  and  by  paying  into  the  treasury  an  annual 
assessment  of  one  dollar 

7.  Resolved,  That  all  Clergymen  or  Ministers  of  the  Gospel  shall 
be  considered  honorary  members  of  this  Society. 

On  motion  of  Mrs.  Dr.  Baldwin,  the  Chair  was  author- 
ized to  appoint  an  Executive  Committee,  consisting  of 
ten — whereupon  the  Chair  appointed  the  following 
ladies:  Mrs.  Dr.  Bambo,  Chairman;  Mrs.  John  Elmore, 
Mrs.  Wm.  Pollard,  Mrs.  Dr.  Wilson,  Mrs.  W.  J.  Bibb, 
Mrs.  Hausman,  Mrs.  Mount,  Mrs.  Bugbee,  Mrs.  W.  B. 
Bell,  Mrs.  Fort  Hargrove  and  Mrs.  James  Ware. 

On  motion,  the  Society  adjourned  to  meet  whenever 
requested  by  the  President.” 


9 


Thus,  on  a yellow,  time-stained  record  of  that  sorrow- 
ful epoch,  v,  hen  every  woman  wore  mourning,  in  her 
heart  or  upon  it;  when  almost  every  home  had  its  vacant 
chair;  is  found  thus  solemnly  associated  together  for  a 
sacred  work,  the  names  of  Bibb,  Baldwin,  Bugbee,  Bell, 
Elmore,  Hausman,  Holt,  Hargrove,  Hannon,  Johnson, 
Mount,  Phelan,  Pollard,  Kainbo,  Wilson,  Ware.  Follow- 
ing these,  in  the  early  memorial  dawn,  comes  the  inter- 
esting roil  of  charter  members  containing  other  illus- 
trious names. 

in  the  year  1885,  Mrs.  Bibb  requested  Gen.  Swavne, 
Agent  of  the  Freedmen’s  Bureau,  whose  headquarters 
were  in  this  place,  to  allow  the  Ladies’  Society  to  retain 
the  furniture  belonging  to  the  Hospital  Association,  in 
whose  care  Federal  as  well  as  Confederate  soldiers  had 
found  shelter.  Sixty  prisoners  of  war  brought  from 
Shiloh  received  here  the  same  care  as  our  own  soldiers. 
This  request  was  courteously  granted,  but  most  of  it  had 
already  been  removed  by  the  United  States  Marshal. 
The  remnant  was  sold  for  $ 8,  and  became  the  nucleus 
for  the  fund  to  be  devoted  to  the  sacred  work  of  com- 
memoration by  “The  Ladies’  Society.”  The  name  was 
changed  to  that  of  “The  Ladies’  Memorial  Association,” 
as  more  expressive  of  its  purposes.  Under  the  adminis- 
tration of  Mrs.  Judge  Bibb,  headstones  were  placed 
over  800  graves,  a monument  erected  in  the  cemetery, 
and  many  Alabama  soldiers  were  buried  on  various  bat- 
tlefields. Considerable  amounts  were  made  and  ex- 
pended for  the  aid  of  needy  soldiers  and  their  families 
impoverished  by  the  war.  A few  hundred  dollars  re- 
mained in  the  treasury,  which  was  held  sacred  by  this 
band  of  Southern  heroines,  to  be  devoted  to  the  long- 
hoped  for  Monument  to  be  erected  on  Capitol  Hill.  Ev- 
ery means  suggested  by  the  fertile  brains  of  the  ladies 
were  used  to  increase  the  fund.  Contributions  came  in 
from  ail  portions  of  the  State,  from  friends  and  natives 
of  Alabama  in  distant  States.  There  came  one  from  far- 
off  Nova  Scotia,  the  offering  of  an  Englishman.  The  same 
pages  record  a contribution  from  a.  faithful  negro  citi- 
zen, which,  like  the  widow's  mite,  is  valued  for  its  sin- 
cerity, far  beyond  the  number  of  figures;  also  a tangible 
token  of  sympathy  from  the  Golden  Gate — thus  from 
Maine  to  Florida,  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  the 
electric  current  passed  from  heart  to  heart  and  by  little 


10 


and  by  little,  the  treasure  grew.  Tasteful  entertainments 
were  given  in  various  places — none  of  the  popular  mod- 
ern dramas  have  been  more  successful  than  the  theatri- 
cals managed  by  those  ladies  of  wondrous  gifts,  Mrs. 
Goodwin  and  Miss  Raoul,  assisted  by  the  best  dramatic 
talent  of  the  city.  The  musical  geniuses  of  the  place 
were  brought  into  service  by  the  performance  of  an  oper- 
etta, presented  by  Mrs.  Dr.  Dudley  Robinson,  a marvel- 
ous composer  and  magician  of  the  piano,  whose  talents 
were  gladly  given  to  a cause  for  which  her  brave  broth- 
ers had  given  their  lives. 

The  perfect  costuming  of  the  performers  were  works 
of  tine  art,  evolved  from  the  mind  and  hands  of  Mrs. 
Geo.  R.  Doran,  whose  swift  lingers  led  her  busy  brigade 
of  volunteer  needle-women  to  achieve  marvels  of  taste. 

When  thegolden  grain  wasagain  garnered  by  the  brave 
men  who  had  “turned  their  swords  into  plowshares,” 
thoughts  of  fallen  comrades  inspired  man  to  re- 
newed effort.  “The  Monument  Committee”  was  incor- 
porated Sept.  30,  1885,  the  incorporators  being  Gov.  E. 
A.  O’Neal,  W.  S.  Reese,  W.  L.  Bragg,  Josiah  Morris, 
Wm.  B.  Jones,  W.  W.  Screws,  W.-W.  Allen,  Jacob  Griel, 
Jno.  IV.  A.  Sanford,  H.  A.  Herbert,  J.  B.  Gaston,  Tlios. 
G.  Jones,  H.  C.  Tompkins,  J.  H.  Higgins  and  D.  S. 
Rice,  W.  S.  Reese,  Chairman;  T.  J.  Rutledge,  Secretary 
of  the  Board  of  Incorporators. 

From  the  Daily  Advertiser  is  copied : 

“THE  FIRST  SUBSCRIPTION.” 

It  was  meet  that  it  should  be  so.  Among  the  noble 
women  of  Alabama  none  could  have  come  forward  with 
open  hand  and  heart,  and  so  thrilled  the  people,  as  she 
whose  name  heads  the  list  of  subscriptions  to  the  sol- 
diers’ monument,  Mrs.  Judge  Bibb.  “Aunt  Sophy,”  as 
the  men  and  women  of  the  war  times  call  her,  from  simple 
love  of  her,  writes  a letter.  Her  head  is  frosted  with 
the  snows  of  many  winters ; her  life  currents  have  wasted 
beneath  the  suns  of  many  summers;  her  step  totters  and 
her  eyes  look  dimly  on  the  world,  and  her  voice  is  tremu- 
lous and  low.  But  her  heart  is  as  warm  as  when  she 
stooped  in  the  noisy  hum  of  day  and  the  silent  watches 
of  the  night  by  the  dying  soldier’s  couch  and  bathed  his 
wounds  with  a hand  as  loving  as  the  prayer  she  sent  to 
Heaven  for  the  cause  she  mourns.  Her  sunset  is  near  at 


11 


hand,  and  all  its  splendors  are  deeds  of  goodness  and  of 
charity,  and  many  a soldier  watches  it  with  a tear  in 
his  e}^  and  a prayer  in  his  heart,  and  sends  a blessing  to 
her  who  in  sickness  and  in  death  was  the  truest  and  the 
tenderest  mother  a soldier  could  ever  know. 

Mrs.  Bibb’s  letter,  accompanying  her  subscription  of 
$100,  will  be  found  elsewhere.  Can  a cause  lag  in  the 
presence  of  such  an  appeal  ? The  women  of  Alabama 
cannot  read  it  and  be  still.  'I  do  not  doubt  the  monu- 
ment will  he  erected,’  she  says.  And  it  will.  Such  an 
example  will  be  followed  and  the  patriotic  men  and 
women  of  Alabama  will  see  to  it  that  the  work  is  not  de- 
layed, and  that  her  dear  old  eyes  shall  rest  on  this  tribute 
of  their  love  and  hers  before  they  close  in  the  sleep  of  the 
just  made  perfect.  God  bless  her!  And  all  her  kith  and 
kin,  and  everything  she  loves  and  all  her  days  and  every 
hour!” 

Montgomery,  Ala.,  Oct.  1,  1885. 

“Hon.  W.  S.  Reese: 

Dear  Sir  : — Allow  me  to  express  the  intense  gratifica- 
tion I felt  when  1 learned  through  The  Advertiser  that  a 
corporate  organization  had  been  formed  for  the  purpose 
of  erecting  a monument  in  the  city  of  Montgomery  to  the 
Confederate  soldiers  who  fell  in  our  defense. 

The  names  affixed,  and  the  interest  manifested  by  all 
who  shared  with  our  dead  heroes,  the  perils  and  priva- 
tions, and  the  gloom  and  glory  of  the  war,  give  assurance 
of  success.  It  is  indeed,  a noble  call  and  should  be  nobly 
answered.  It  is  most  fitting  that  their  comrades  who 
breasted  with  them  the  storms  of  battle  should  rear  this 
tribute  to  their  memory.  The  pathos  and  sublimity  of 
the  sentiment  which  prompts  it  deeply  affects  me,  and 
commands  the  admiration  of  all  who  loved  our  Confed- 
erate cause.  In  honoring  them  we  ennoble  ourselves. 
The  place  selected  is  significant  and  impressive.  There 
a nation  was  born,  and  there  let  its  grave  be  hallowed. 
My  heart  is  thrilled  with  mournful  pride  when  I recall 
the  scene  so  full  of  rapture  which  transpired  in  Febru- 
ary, 1861.  There  stood  our  illustrious  President,  Jeffer- 
son Davis,  God  bless  him!  with  uncovered  head  before  a 
vast  throng  of  patriotic  men  and  women  and  with  rever- 
ential mien,  and  voice  of  concentrated  fervor,  rang  out 
that  solemn  pledge,  “So  help  me  God.”  The  picture  is 


12 


still  undimmed  by  time,  and  a halo  of  glory  seems  resting 
on  that  consecrated  spot.  These  associations  so  sacredly 
cherished  by  our  people  will  surely  arouse  their  energies, 
and  the  women  who  ministered  to  our  soldiers  in  hours 
of  suffering  will  recall  with  tenderness  and  gratitude 
the  self-sacrificing  devotion  of  those  whose  deeds  of  valor 
can  never  lie  forgotten.  Their  faithfulness  during  the 
vicissitudes  of  war,  as  mother,  wife,  sweetheart,  daugh- 
ter, gives  promise  that  they  will  continue  their  mission. 

1 feel  assured  that  the  women  of  Alabama  will  demon- 
strate their  grateful  love  for  those  who  have  left  us  a 
heritage  so  great,  that  all  the  mutabilities  of  time  can 
never  destroy  it. 

I do  not  doubt  the  monument  will  be  erected,  and 
prove  a sacred  shrine  where  we  may  repair,  and,  forget- 
ting the  bitterness  of  the  past,  receive  inspiration  from 
the  memories  invoked  to  fulfill  the  obligations  of  the 
present  and  develop  the  possibilities  of  the  future. 

Your  appeal  has  swept  the  chords  of  my  heart,  and 
though  its  vibrations  are  akin  to  pain,  it  gives  me  great 
pleasure  to  respond. 

Please  find  enclosed  check  for  one  hundred  dollars. 

Accept  my  earnest  wishes  that  your  efforts  in  this 
noble  object  may  be  crowned  with  success,  and  believe 
me,  Very  truly  your  friend, 

S.  L.  A.  Bibb." 

Among  other  valuable  papers  which  the  writer  has 
been  privileged  to  examine,  are  found  the  following  in- 
teresting letters : 

COL.  W.  S.  REESE’S  LETTER. 

“Office  of  the  Alabama  Soldiers'  Monument  Assn. 

Montgomery,  Ala.,  Oct.  8th,  1885. 
Mrs.  S.  L.  A.  Bibb , Montgomery , Ala. : 

Your  much  esteemed  favor  of  the  1st.  inst.,  with 
enclosed  check  for  $100,  as  your  contribution  to  the  Con- 
federate Monument  Fund,  has  been  duly  received  and 
would  have  been  acknowledged  earlier,  but  for  the  inter- 
vention of  most  .urgent  business  engagements.  For  this 
liberal  donation  please  to  accept  the  sincere  thanks  of 
myself  and  the  management  of  the  Memorial  Fund. 
Your  patriotic  letter  has  awakened  a lively  interest  in 
this  great  cause  throughout  the  State  and  will  do  much 


13 


to  aid  the  final  success  of  this  noble  work.  The  effort 
to  keep  green  the  memories  of  our  gallant  dead,  has  no 
more  ardent  and  devoted  advocate  in  the  State  than 
yourself  and  with  such  a sentiment  as  yours  pervading 
the  people,  success  in  this  grand  work  is  assured. 

Please  to  accept  the  assurance  of  my  highest  regard. 

Yours  very  respectfully, 

W.  S.  Reese,  Chairman.” 

THE  LETTER  OF  CAPT.  B.  H.  SCREWS. 
“Rooms  Historical  and  Memorial  Association  of 
Confederate  Soldiers. 

Montgomery,  Ala.,  June  2Ttli,  1879. 

Mrs.  Sophie  Bibb , 

Dear  Madam  : 

Enclosed  you  will  find  the  Resolution  by  which  you 
were  proposed  to  be  the  first  honorary  member  of  the 
Historical  and  Memorial  Association  of  Confederate 
Soldiers  of  Montgomery  County.  If  anything  could  add 
to  the  compliment  which  was  intended  to  be  paid,  it  was 
the  rising  vote  and  enthusiastic  unanimity  with  which 
your  election  was  made.  I hope  1 may  be  pardoned  for 
saying,  that  your  family,  distinguished,  ( as  well  as  that 
of  your  honored  husband ) in  more  than  four  States,  by 
all  the  noble  and  patriotic  virtues  that  exalt  mankind, 
have  in  you  a worthy  and  illustrious  representative. 

It  affords  me  sincere  pleasure  to  convey  to  you  this 
evidence  of  the  estimation  with  which  you  are  regarded 
by  the  surviving  Confederates,  and  I beg  that  you  will 
honor  the  Association  by  accepting  the  honorary  mem- 
bership which  is  hereby  tendered  you. 

Very  respectfully  your  obedient  servant, 

B.  H.  Screws, 

Correspondiaf/  Secretary  H.  cC-  .1/.  Assn,  of  Confederate 
Soldiers .” 

These  worked  bravely  for  the  consummation  of  this 
unanimous  desire  of  their  hearts.  It  was  under  the  au- 
spices of  and  by  invitation  of  the  Monumental  Associa- 
tion, and  of  the  Ladies'  Memorial  Association,  that  Pres- 
ident Davis  visited  Montgomery,  April  26th,  1886,  and 
laid  the  foundation  stone  of  the  Monument.  The  occa- 
sion is  forever  memorable.  Mayor  Reese  spared  neither 


14 


energy  nor  means,  in  the  effort  to  make  it  worthy  of  him 
who  remains  the  grandest  man  of  the  age  we  live  in. 
The  City  and  the  State  honored  the  effort  which  culmin- 
ated  in  a brilliant  success.  It  was  the  proudest  day  in 
the  life  of  Jefferson  Davis — aye,  prouder  than  the  day 
of  his  Inauguration  as  President  of  a peculiar  people, 
for  he  was  sought  and  brought  forth  from  his  retirement 
at  Beauvoir,  Miss.,  to  receive  the  honors  of  an  imperish- 
able love.  Stripped  of  every  insignia  of  rank,  in  plain 
citizen’s  dress,  with  tears  on  his  furrowed  cheeks,  he 
walked  to  the  spot  already  made  sacred  by  his  footfall, 
surrounded  by  thousands  of  his  old  comrades, in  eloquent 
silence,  only  broken  by  the  sobs  of  women,  while  veterans 
who  had  grown  grey  in  faithful  service  brushed  away 
their  poorly  hidden  tears.  When  he  came  again,  he  lay 
in  Death’s  imperial  calm,  mighty  still,  a ruler  in  the 
realm  of  love.  Deprived  of  citizenship  here,  he  was 
translated  to  the  Government  which  knows  not  change. 

Shortly  after  these  deeply  interesting  ceremonies, 
the  Monumental  Association,  realizing  that  memorial 
work  belonged  peculiarly  to  woman  and  believing  that 
the  desideratum  would  be  best  effected  by  a transfer  of 
their  funds  and  their  hopes  into  the  hands  of  the  Ladies’ 
Memorial  Association,  they  generously  withdrew  and 
deposited  the  amount  of  $6,777  into  the  L.  M.  A.  Treas- 
ury. 

Mrs.  Judge  Bibb  was  denied,  by  reason  of  ill  health, 
the  pleasure  of  witnessing  the  touching  ceremonies 
of  laying  the  foundation  stone  in  1886,  and  President 
Davis,  missing  the  face  of  his  dear  old  friend  from  the 
ranks  of  the  Memorial  Association  which  was  grouped 
on  his  left,  called  to  see  her  at  the  old  place  on  Moulton 
St.,  whose  hospitable  doors  had  often  swung  open  to 
the  brilliant  Cabinet  of  the  Confederate  States. 
There  a touching  meeting  and  parting  took  place,  for  his 
race  was  well  nigh  run,  and  on  the  9th  dav  of  January, 
1887,  she  rested  from  her  labors.  Her  daughter,  Mrs. 
Martha  Dandridge  Bibb,  so  long  her  coadjutor  and  in- 
spired by  the  same  sentiments  which  have  made  the  name 
pre-eminent,  was  the  unanimous  choice  of  the  Ladies’ 
Memorial  Association  to  succeed  her  patriotic  mother, 
and  was  elected  to  fill  the  vacancy  at  the -first  meeting 
after  the  death  of  the  lamented  President.  To  this  office 
she  has  been  re-elected  from  time  to  time  and  still  with 


15 


untiring  energy  and  devotion  to  its  best  interests,  serves 
an  Association  which  honors  the  State  of  Alabama  and 
the  memory  of  brave  men  and  women. 

The  photograph  and  autograph  of  Mrs.  Judge  Bibb 
were  deposited  in  the  corner-stone  of  the  monument,  but 
a nobler  tribute  than  this  was  paid  by  an  ex- Confederate, 
who  said  of  her:  “Loftier  and  whiter  than  she  ever 

dreamed  of,  for  her  dead  heroes,  is  her  own  temple  that 
she  builded  in  the  hearts  of  them  that  loved  her.” 

Nobly  has  the  daughter  discharged  the  trust  com- 
mitted to  her  care.  Slowly  but  surely  lias  the  Monument 
arisen  and  stands  forth  today,  the  ornament  of  the  State. 
It  was  largely  due  to  the  energy  and  magnetic  influence 
of  Mrs.  M.  D.  Bibb  and  other  ladies  on  that  committee 
that  the  fund  for  which  the  Association  had  so  devotedly 
labored,  was  increased  by  the  handsome  donation  from 
the  Monumental  Association,  and  three  generous  contri- 
butions from  the  State.  Confederate  veterans  and  patri- 
otic men  and  women  all  over  the  commonwealth  brought 
generous  offerings  and  thus  it  became  the  shrine  of  the 
State  of  Alabama.  The  Committee  haunted  the  legisla- 
tive halls  of  the  State  with  eloquent  e3^es  and  pleading 
lips,  until  their  toil  was  guerdoned  by  success.  It  is  sad 
to  remember  that  one  of  these,  Miss  Jeannie  Crommelin, 
the  late  beloved  Secretary,  who  gave  her  best  energies, 
even  in  failing  health,  to  this  last  effort,  lived  not  to  see 
the  realization  of  her  fondest  hopes,  but  joined  the 
shadowy  throng  called  up  to  the  great  unveiling. 

Many  thousand  persons  witnessed  the  glorious  cere- 
monies which  took  place  December  7th,  1898.  The  dreary 
clouds  which  had  heralded  December  were  lifted,  earth’s 
tears  were  dried,  and  the  matchless  bonnie  blue  floated 
from  line  to  line  of  the  exquisite  dome  which  rounded 
above  the  beauteous  figure  which  drew  her  harmless 
sword  against  the  sky.  Visitors  from  all  over  the  South 
came  to  witness  the  unveiling.  An  impressive  program 
was  rendered.  Spring  flowers  transformed  the  winter 
day  and  breathed  of  those  whose  spirits  smiled  on  the 
scene.  Floral  decorations  and  chaplets  of  evergreen 
adorned  the  monument  and  legends  of  heroic  song  and 
story  wreathed  the  gates  of  the  old  grounds  and  the 
doors  of  the  historic  building  on  Capitol  Hill.  Seats 
were  arranged  for  several  thousand  hearers.  Prominent 


16 


among  these  were  the  Confederate  Veterans,  Sons  of 
Veterans,  The  Ladies’  Memorial  Association,  The 
Daughters  of  the  Confederacy,  The  Daughters  of  the 
Revolution,  and  the  representatives  of  the  Press.  Here 
let  it  he  said  that  the  aid  of  the  Press  of  Alabama,  in  this 
work,  is  gratefully  acknowledged.  The  gay  attire  of  the 
military,  the  bright  badges  of  the  ladies,  the  pure  white 
robes  and  Confederate  sashes  of  the  maidens  who  repre- 
sented the  Southern  States,  lent  tropical  coloring  to 
the  scene  and  contrasted  vividly  with  the  Knights  in 
Grey,  the  Veterans  and  the  Sons  of  Veterans,  who  came 
with  full  hearts  to  hear  again  the  tale  that  is  told  of 
other  days,  wherein  they  helped  to  make  history.  On 
the  platform  erected  between  the  Monument  and  the 
Capitol  were  seated  The  Ladies’  Memorial  Association, 
members  of  the  Legislature,  Gov.  Johnson  and  his  staff, 
the  speakers  and  the  actors  in  this  triumphant  scene. 

The  procession  was  formed  at  the  now  historic  corner 
of  Bibb  and  Moulton  streets,  Col.  A.  A.  Wiley  command- 
ing, the  military  escorting  the  Ladies’  Memorial  Asso- 
ciation and  proceeding  to  Commerce  street,  from  thence, 
bands  playing  inspiring  marches,  to  Dexter  avenue  and 
to  the  Capitol,  where  cheers  and  booming  cannon  greeted 
the  goodly  cavalcade.  The  assemblage  already  gathered 
reached  from  the  Capitol  to  the  northern  boundary  of 
the  grounds,  and  as  far  as  eye  could  reach,  men,  women 
and  children,  afoot,  ahorse,  and  in  carriages,  drew  near 
to  join  the  pageant  that  came  with  rolling  drum  and 
mellow  bugle  call.  Intense  interest  held  the  expectant 
crowd. 

At  12  M.  Col.  W.  J.  Samford,  of  Opelika,  the  Chair- 
man, in  well  chosen  and  appreciative  remarks,  intro- 
duced Rev.  Geo.  P>.  Eager,  the  Chaplain,  whose  impres- 
sive invocation,  to  the  Great  Ruler  of  Events,  from  the 
depths  of  a sincere  heart,  was  pronounced,  during  rev- 
erential silence,  as  follows : 

“Almighty  God,  our  Heavenly  Father,  Thou  hast 
taught  us  to  cherish  our  yesterdays,  to  ‘call  to  remem- 
brance the  former  days,’  even  though  they  be  days  of 
darkness,  wherein  we  endured  a great  fight  of  affliction. 
Standing  today  under  the  shadow  of  a great  loss,  but  in 
the  light  of  Thy  love,  we  realize  that  it  is  greatly  wise  to 
commune  with  our  past  hours.  We  come  to  recall  our 
precious  and  immortal  dead  who  poured  out  their  lives 


17 


as  a holy  libation  upon  the  altar  of  their  country,  verily 
believing  that  they  were  doing  God’s  service.  O,  come  to 
consecrate  this  completed  and  enduring  monument  to 
the  memory  of  those  whom  we  loved  and  cherish  for 
their  lofty  devotion  to  duty  and  fidelity  even  unto  death ; 
who  laid  the  heart  of  the  (South  at  the  feet  of  God,  with 
their  wounds  to  tell  the  story. 

“Help  us,  O God,  to  come  in  faith  and  with  fit  speech, 
remembering  that  Thou  art  God  over  all  blessed  forever- 
more, that  Thy  kingdom  ruleth  over  all,  that  Thou  send- 
est  the  darkness  as  well  as  the  light,  and  that  Thou  hast 
given  us  ‘songs  in  the  night.’  We  pray  Thee  to  imbue  us 
with  the  spirit  that  actuated  them  and  made  their  lives 
glorious,  to  help  us  to  cherish  the  principles  for  which 
they  died,  and  teach  us  in  Thine  own  wise  way  the  les- 
sons of  this  hour  and  occasion.  We  recognize  that  Thy 
wisdom  is  higher  than  ours,  and  that  Thy  burning  and 
purifying  love  is  ever  at  work  illuminating  our  ignor- 
ance, consuming  the  dross  of  our  earthliness  and  bring- 
ing out  the  gold  of  character  which  is  our  true  riches. 
Thou  hast  given  us  the  grievous  discipline  of  defeat  and 
tears,  Thou  hast  carried  us  through  a long,  hard  school- 
ing in  a school  where  everything  was  difficult  and  there 
was  constant  clashing  with  our  will.  It  has  been  bitter 
and  hard  upon  us,  O,  God,  and  often  when  we  sought 
light  and  help,  it  seemed  at  such  cloudy  distances  that 
we  could  not  realize  its  ministry.  But  we  bless  thee,  O, 
Thou  God,  of  infinite  wisdom  and  love,  that  by  faith  we 
have  learned  at  last  that  all  is  well  because  Thou  hast 
done  it,  that  behind  a frowning  providence  Thou  didst 
hide  a smiling  face. 

“We  bless  Thee  for  a reunited  country,  for  the  loving 
hearts,  the  ministering  hands,  the  loyal  souls,  and  the 
beautiful  voices  that  remain  to  us  today,  true  to  Thee 
and  to  duty;  for  young  and  old  gathered  here  today  to 
take  loving  and  tearful  and  hopeful  part  in  this  new  con- 
secration. Be  with  those  who  shall  speak  to  us  and  may 
they  speak  such  words  as  shall  help  us  and  glorify  Thee, 
and  to  Thy  great  name,  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Spirit,  we 
will  give  the  praise  forever.  Amen.” 

Col.  Samford  then  touched  the  key-note  which  was  to 
bring  forth  words  of  burning  oratory,  following  his  own 
most  thrilling  introduction  of  the  ceremonies : 

2 


18 


“Ladies  of  the  Memorial  Association , Ladies  and  Gen- 
tlemen : 

Borrowing  an  idea  from  another,  if  expression  of  my 
appreciation  of  being  selected  as  Chairman  on  this  oc- 
casion, were  commensurate  with  the  honors  conferred  on 
me,.  I should  need  a full  measure  of  gratefulness  in  my 
heart,  and  brilliancy  on  my  tongue.  The  measure  of 
gratitude  is  not  lacking,  but  my  stammering  speech, 
compels  me  to  ask  these  good  ladies  who  have  thus  hon- 
ored me  to  be  content  with  the  assurance,  that  I mean 
all  that  is  expressed  by  the  good  old  Anglo-Saxon  words, 
I thank  you,  for  having  given  me  this  distinction,  to  be 
prominently  connected  with  these  exercises,  that  will 
take  their  place  in  the  annals  of  this  State,  both  because 
of  their  intrinsic  interest  and  worth  and  because  they 
transpire  on  these  historic  grounds  where  thirty-seven 
years  ago  a chivalrous  young  government  took  its  posi- 
tion in  line  with  the  great  nationalities  of  earth. 

Born  in  the  throes  of  revolution,  its  young  proud  ship 
of  State  was  launched  on  tempestuous  political  seas, 
whose  angry  waves  and  raging  billows  rocked  its  infancy 
“in  the  cradle  of  the  deep.”  No  friendly  beacon  light 
streamed  across  the  stormy  waters  to  give  warning  where 
maelstroms  endangered,  and  rocks  were  submerged. 
Rather  instead  from  storm-tossed  waves,  there  flashed 
the  lurid  glare  of  the  lightning  of  battles,  and  the  deep 
bellowing  thunders  of  war  clouds  Tame  “sounding  o’er 
the  sea.”  The  dew  was  not  off  the  grass,  on  the  natal 
morn  of  the  Confederacy,  before  this  sunny  land  was  one 
vast  martial  camp,  and  war’s  frowning  visage  darkened 
the  land. 

It  is  not  for  me,  today,  to  speak  of  the  causes  of  the 
great  revolution,  nor  to  discuss  the  statesmanship  and 
policies  of  that  stormy  era.  But  I will  take  a moment 
to  say,  in  defense  of  those  whose  honor  and  valor  are 
commemorated  by  that  granite  shaft,  that  they  offered 
their  lives,  living  sacrifices  on  the  altars  of  country,  in 
defense  of  that  glorious  product  of  this  western  world, 
the  great  right  of  local  self-government,  and  in  defense 
of  the  principles  of  the  American  Constitution. 

Such  sentiments  are  no  detraction  from  the  position 
of  the  Federal  soldier — the  differences  are  not  under  dis- 
cussion now — much  less  are  they  disloyal  to  the  senti- 
ments of  a restored  union,  and  to  a common  flag.  That 


19 


flag  is  now  the  flag  of  my  country  and  your  country,  and 
beneath  its  shadow  the  interests  and  honor  of  all  sec- 
tions of  this  grand  country  repose  in  security. 

This  is  not  the  super-serviceable  cant,  that  considers 
it  necessary  to  degrade  the  memory  of  the  Confederate 
States,  in  order  to  exalt  the  Union— or  to  defy  the  New 
by  anathematizing  the  Old  South;  sentiments  born  of 
that  inspiration  that  “crooks  the  pregnant  hinges  of  the 
knee,  that  thrift  may  follow  fawning.” 

“The  Old  South”  needs  no  defense,  before  a Southern 
audience.  For  more  than  a half  century  of  the  history 
of  this  government,  the  grand  men  of  the  Old  South,  on 
the  battlefields  of  chivalry,  illustrated  the  loftiest  valor,, 
and  in  the  parliamentary  tourney  they  magnified  states- 
manship-— while  Southern  women,  worthy  mates  of 
splendid  men,  reigned  with  queenly  dignity  in  Southern 
homes  and  dispensed  that  royal  hospitality  that  has 
been  the  theme  of  poesy  and  “the  toast  of  history.” 

To  others  more  competent  than  I,  has  been  assigned 
the  agreeable  duty  of  speaking  of  the  valor  and  virtues 
of  the  Confederate  dead.  They  will  tell  of  the  splendid 
generalship  of  the  chieftains  of  the  South.  How  the 
names  of  her  Lees,  her  Johnstons,  of  Davis,  of  Stonewall 
Jackson,  of  Gordon,  and  a host  of  other  great  captains, 
by  the  blaze  of  battle  were  photographed  on  the  frontest 
leaf  of  fame.  How  Jeb  Stuart  and  Forrest  and  Ala- 
bama's own  gallant  Wheeler  and  Clanton,  and  others 
led  their  “rough  riders”  into  the  very  jaws  of  death  and 
immortality. 

But  they  will  be  neglectful  if  in  these  memorable  ex- 
ercises, they  forget  him  who  carried  the  knapsack  and 
musket,  the  bright  boy  who  bowed  his  head  for  a father’s 
blessing,  and  took  his  shield  from  a loving  mother’s 
hand  with  the  Spartan  injunction,  “with  this  when  the 
battle  is  won,  or  on  it  from  the  field ;”  the  young  father, 
who  gently  unlocking  loving  arms  of  wife  and  weeping 
children,  turned  his  back  on  the  happy  home,  on  the  vine 
clad  hills,  and  took  up  his  steady,  stately  march  down 
the  road  to  duty  and  to  death,  and  by  his  glorious  cour- 
age made  a faded  “grey  jacket”  a priceless  heirloom  in 
the  homes  of  the  South. 

Yea,  more,  the  tongues  of  Southern  men  will  forget 
their  cunning,  when  we  fail  to  tell  that  the  beauty  of 
roses  paled,  and  “morning  sunbeams  cast  shadows”  in 


20 


presence  of  the  bloom  on  the  cheek  and  the  light  in  the 
eye  of  the  liomespun-clad  girls  of  Dixie. 

Some  years  ago  I had  the  honor  to  offer  some  remarks 
at  the  opening  of  the  bazaar,  inaugurated  by  the  ladies 
of  the  Memorial  Association,  to  further  the  erection  of 
this  splendid  monument.  For  years,  without  remunera- 
tion or  recompense,  other  than  the  consciousness  of  a 
noble  duty,  these  noble  ladies  have  been  working  for  this 
good  day. 

Somewhere  I have  read  “that  it  is  more  blessed  to  give 
than  to  receive.”  That  Divine  utterance  had  a sacred 
illustration  when  Woman,  anointed  the  head  of  the 
Savior,  and  washed  his  feet  with  her  tears,  and  wiped 
them  with  her  hair. 

Humanity,  I speak  reverently,  can  make  no  nearer  ap- 
proach to  it,  than  woman’s  sacrifice  on  the  altar  of  unsel- 
fish devotion. 

The  gentle  footpace,  the  soft  touch,  the  tender  words — 
oil  in  grievous  wounds — and  balm  of  consolation  to 
breaking  hearts,  have  enshrined  the  names  of  Florence 
Nightingale  and  Clara  Barton  in  the  hearts  of  humanity. 

So,  inspired  by  generous  impulse,  these  noble  women 
of  the  Memorial  Association  have  enshrined  in  granite 
and  bronze,  the  memory  of  the  Confederate  dead;  that 
memory  will  be  green  when  granite  has  crumbled  and 
bronze  has  corroded  around  the  apex  of  that  splendid 
shaft,  kissed  by  the  first  rays  of  the  rising  sun,  there  will 
forever  linger  a halo,  in  memory  of  the  loving  hands 
that  reared  this  shaft  and  of  the  unselfish  devotion  that 
inspired  it.  They  have  reared  a noble  monument  to  the 
memory  of  the  Confederate  dead,  and  in  doing  so,  have 
safely  perpetuated  their  own  glorious  memory  and 
worth.” 

At  the  conclusion  of  this  eloquent  prologue,  Miss  An- 
nie Gorman,  one  of  the  sweetest  singers  of  Montgomery, 
and  the  daughter  of  an  ex-Confederate,  dressed  in  Con- 
federate Grey,  sang  “Dixie,”  accompanied  by  the  Second 
Regiment  Band.  The  old  song,  so  dear  to  men  and  maids 
of  long  ago,  touched  many  a tender  memory  of  lads  who 
marched  away  and  lassies  sweet  who  waved  the  snowy 
kerchief  of  farewell.  When  the  applause  had  died  away, 
one  arose  who  was  a boy  in  years,  and  yet  a man  of  might 
in  those  mighty  days,  and  thrilled  each  heart,  as  he  re- 
counted and  reviewed  the  times  he  helped  to  make  glori- 
ous— Hon.  T.  G.  Jones,  the  talented  Ex-Governor  of  the 
State  of  Alabama, 


21 


ORATION". 


The  orator  of  the  day  was  here  fittingly  introduced  by 
Hon.  W.  J.  Sainford,  the  Chairman,  and  said : 

“ Revered  Women  and  Fellow  Countrymen  : 

Deep  and  indefinable  emotions  and  throngs  of  stern 
and  tender  memories  stir  our  hearts,  and  till  our  souls 
and  minds,  as  we  stand  upon  this  sacred  spot,  and  drink 
in  the  sublimity  and  significance  of  this  august  hour. 
No  human  tongue  can  give  lit  expression  to  your  exalted 
thoughts. 

Who  today  can  forget  that  other  day,  when  the  man 
whose  only  sin  was  we  made  him  leader,  was  borne  in 
triumph,  by  the  love  of  his  people,  from  his  home  by 
tlie  sea  to  his  old  Capital,  while  the  world  looked  on, 
and  learned  that  the  people  for  whom  he  suffered  had 
neither  forgotten  nor  deserted  him,  in  the  hour  of  adver- 
sity. What  orator  or  painter  can  depict  the  thrilling 
moment  when  the  aged  prisoner  of  Fortress  Monroe, 
erect,  unfettered,  sustained  by  the  love  of  his  people, 
amidst  the  thunder  of  cannon  and  the  acclaim  of  the 
multitude,  laid  the  corner-stone  of  this  monument,  erect- 
ed here  by  authority  of  a State,  while  the  troops  saluted 
with  rolling  drums,  drooped  colors  and  presented  arms, 
and  veterans  and  people,  heads  all  bare,  did  him  honor. 

There  was  one,  above  all  others,  who  did  him  rever- 
ence, then.  Who  that  saw  her,  at  that  supreme  moment, 
can  shut  out  the  vision  of  the  winsome  daughter  at  his 
side?  This  tender  shoot  of  his  own  vine,  the  child  of  his 
exile  and  retirement,  had  not  known  the  people’s  hearts. 
As  the  full  meaning  of  the  scene  burst  upon  her,  the 
glorious  face  of  this  fair  young  girl,  lit  with  filial  love, 
grew  brighter  and  brighter,  until  a halo  shone  about  her, 
and  she  seemed  transformed  to  a seraph,  and  we  forgot 
that  we  looked  upon  a daughter  of  men.  Even  yonder 
dingy  old  building  caught  the  inspiration,  and  shone 
from  dome  to  pit  with  renewed  whiteness,  as  it  reflected 
back,  in  the  April  sun,  the  purity  of  that  sweet  picture 
of  noble  womanhood. 


22 


Again,  there  comes  -before  us  the  loved  form  of  the 
man  of  big  heart  and  great  brain,  who  was  Alabama’s 
Governor  during  the  stormiest  years  of  her  existence. 
We  recall  libs  manly  face  suffused  with  tears,  as  his 
chief  lovingly  placing  his  hands  upon  him,  and  told  how 
he  had  learned  to  lean  upon  him,  in  the  sad  days  at 
Richmond,  “When  Alabama  took  him  from  me  there 
was  none  to  take  his  place.”  Beside  these  two  stood  the 
chivalrous  soldier  who,  as  Governor  of  this  State,  hon- 
ored the  people,  who  honored  him  for  a long  life  spent 
in  their  service. 

They  were  with  us  on  this  platform  then.  Now  ‘they 
gaze  into  the  face  that  makes  glorious  their  own,’  amid 
throngs  of  angels.  God  rest  them;  but  we  can  not  keep 
back  the  cry — 

“ Oh  for  the  touch  of  a vanished  hand. 

And  the  sound  of  a voice  that  is  still.  ” 

The  monument  is  partly  the  gift  of  the  State,  and  yet, 
it  had  not  risen  here,  to  sentinel  the  memory  of  our 
dead,  but  for  the  love  and  sacrifice  of  woman,  who  dared 
all  the  danger  and  sorrow  of  the  strife,  and  shared  none 
of  its  wild  joys — woman  who  never  murmured,  save 
when  her  warrior  lost  faith — “woman,  permitted  to 
bruise  the  head  of  the  serpent  and  sweetly  infuse 
through  the  sorrow  and  sin  of  earth's  registered  curse, 
the  blessing  which  mitigates  all — horn  to  nurse,  to 
soothe,  to  solace,  to  help  and  to  heal.” 

Chiselled  on  the  face  of  the  monument,  but  more 
deeply  graven  on  the  soul  of  Time,  stand  out  “186i- 
1865.” 

We  have  reared  it  as  an  appeal  to  the  ages.  We  have 
placed  it  here  as  a defender  of  the  patriotism  and  vir- 
tues of  more  than  one  hundred  thousand  soldiers.  It  is 
a tribute  by  a generation  that  is  here,  to  a generation 
that  has  gone.  It  would  not  be  in  keeping  with  its  great 
design,  to  put  forth  such  a work  with  bated  breath. 
When  we  ask  the  world  to  look  upon  the  statues  we  chal- 
lenge judgment;  and  we  cannot  be  silent. 

Many  a child  has  read  that  those  whom  these  statues 
represent  died  “in  rebellion,”  and  sometimes — sad  to 
say — has  heard  it  from  the  lips  of  men  sprung  from  the 
loins  of  the  dead  soldier,  that  the  motives  and  sacrifices 
of  the  men  of  “1861-1865,”  were  the  mad  folly  of  mis- 
guided fathers,  who  waved  hostile  battle-flags  against 
the  genius  of  liberty  in  the  New  World,  and  sought  to 


23  • 


over  throw  the  great  principles  for  which  our  forefathers 
battled  in  the  devolution. 

Is  this  true?  Did  the  Confederate  give  his  land  to 
ruin  and  his  children  to  slaughter  because  of  his  devo- 
tion to  the  institution  of  African  slavery?  Did  he  cease 
to  value  the  principles  of  Union,  or  to  take  pride  in  the 
great  republic  which  his  forefathers  did  so  much  to  cre- 
ate, and  in  after  times,  to  cherish  and  defend?  Were  the 
principles  of  the  new  government,  set  up  here  in  anywise 
hostile  to  the  genius  of  the  constitution  and  government, 
which  Washington  set  up?  Did  the  man  of  1861-1865 
“rebel?” 


THE  SOUTH  DID  NOT  REBEL. 

The  impartial  voice  of  history  will  declare  that  the 
Southern  States  in  asserting  the  Constitutional  right  of 
secession,  did  not  enter  upon  “rebellion,”  or  create  a 
neAV  doctrine,  but  followed  the  logic  of  the  history  of 
the  Constitution,  and  interpretations  of  that  instrument 
by  some  of  the  most  illustrious  of  the  fathers,  main- 
tained, regardless  of  section,  at  different  times,  by  many 
of  the  foremost  statesmen  of  the  Republic. 

All  know  that  the  Revolution  wrung  from  the  mother 
country  the  solemn  recognition  of  the  “thirteen  United 
States  of  America,”  and  “each  of  them,”  as  “free  and 
independent  States.”  They  and  “each  of  them”  then  be- 
came possessed  of  absolute  sovereignty.  As  “free  and 
independent  States,”  each  acting  for  its  sovereign  self, 
they  formed  the  Confederation,  and  then  by  virtue  of 
the  same  sovereignty,  as  States,  formed  the  Union. 

We  need  not  detail  subsequent  history,  and  the  numer- 
ous debates  which  have  exhausted  argument,  except  to 
say  that  the  public  mind  vibrated  like  a pendulum,  be- 
tween two  opinions,  at  different  eras  of  the  republic,  as 
to  the  power  and  rights  of  the  States. 

If  we  may  judge  by  the  action  of  the  people  of  the  Uni- 
ted States,  for  a considerable  period  after  Washington’s 
death,  a majority  of  them  believed  the  Constitution  “a 
compact  to  which  the  States  were  parties,  and  that,  as  in 
all  other  cases  of  compact  between  parties  having  no 
common  judge,  each  party  has  an  equal  right  to  judge 
for  itself,  as  well  of  the  infraction  as  the  mode  and 
measure  of  redress.” 

The  Virginia  and  Kentucky  resolutions  which  pro- 


24 


claimed  this  doctrine,  were  written  respectively  by  Madi- 
son and  Jefferson;  and  the  latter,  though  not  avowing 
his  authorship,  was  known  to  concur  fully  in  them. 
These  resolutions  were  immediately  denounced  by  some 
of  the  States  as  “inflammatory  and  pernicious.”  Yet, 
Jefferson,  in  a bitter  struggle  between  the  opposing 
ideas,  two  years  afterwards,  Avas  elected  President  of  the 
llnited  States,  and.  then  re-elected  in  1804;  and  his  suc- 
cessor was  Madison,  upon  Avhose  motion,  a proposed 
clause  in  the  Constitution  “authorizing  the  exertion  of 
the  force  of  the  whole  against  delinquent  States,”  Avas 
unanimously  postponed.  Madison,  who  scouted  any 
idea  of  any  government  for  the  United  States,  “framed 
on  the  supposed  practicability  of  using  force  against  un- 
constitutional proceedings  of  a State.” 

Even  Hamilton  had  said,  “to  coerce  a State  was  one 
of  the  maddest  projects  that  was  ever  devised.  * * * 
But  can  Ave  believe  that  a State  will  ever  suffer  itself  to 
he  used  as  an  instrument  of  coercion?  The  thing  is  a 
dream.  It  is  impossible.” 

Massachusetts,  not  South  Carolina,  first  stood  sponsor 
for  the  right  of  Secession.  Nearly  half  a century  before 
the  Convention  at  Charleston,  another  Convention  at 
Hartford,  had  proclaimed  Secession  as  a rightful  and 
desirable  remedy  against  Federal  grievances. 

The  impartial  observer  in  1861,  however  deep  his  op- 
position to  the  views  of  Madison  and  Jefferson,  must  de- 
clare, as  did  John  Quincey  Adams,  a New  England 
President,  when  combating  them : “Holding  the  con- 

verse with  a conviction  as  firm  as  an  article  of  religious  , 
faith,  I see  too  clearly  to  admit  of  denial,  that  minds  of 
the  highest  order  of  intellect  and  hearts  of  the  purest 
integrity  of  purpose,  have  been  brought  to  different  con- 
cl  usions.” 

AVAR  NOT  FOUGHT  OVER  THE  JUSTICE  OR  MORALITY  OF 
SLAVERY. 

The  sectional  dissensions,  Avhich  finally  took  on  the 
shape  of  disputes  oamt  slavery,  turned  not  at  all  on  the 
rightfulness  or  morality  of  the  institution;  but  Avere  of 
a purely  political  significance.  From  the  beginning,  the 
Southern  colonies  had  been  foremost  in  resisting  the  es- 
tablishment of  slavery.  Maryland,  North  Carolina  and 
Virginia  had  often  protested  against  it.  Virginia,  prior 


25 


to  1751,  had  passed  more  than  twenty-five  acts  to  dis- 
courage and  prevent  it.  The  Georgia  colony  at  the  out- 
set, had  declared  opposition  to  the  institution.  Slavery 
was  established  and  continued  in  the  Southern  Colonies 
against  their  wishes,  by  the  avarice  of  the  Crown. 

At  the  time  of  the  Revolution,  the  institution  was  up- 
held in  all  the  colonies;  and  though  nearly  one-sixth  of 
their  population  were  slaves,  neither  slavery,  nor  its 
morality  even  remotely  entered  into  the  principles  or 
causes  which  produced  the  separation  from  the  mother 
country,  or  the  change  from  the  articles  of  confedera- 
tion to  the  new  Union.  When  the  Constitution  was 
formed,  the  only  differences  regarding  slaves,  were  as  to 
the  manner  of  their  representation,  and  whether  an  im- 
mediate stop  should  be  put  to  their  importation.  The 
Constitution  protected  the  institution,  and  gave  it  its 
sanction. 

As  the  different  sections  grew  in  population,  com- 
merce and. industry,  and  their  interests  conflicted,  each 
struggled  to  control  the  government  which  affected  those 
interests.  The  clause  in  the  Constitution,  allowing  three- 
fifths  representation  for  the  slaves  naturally  caused  the 
South  to  seek  to  save  the  balance  of  power  in  the  forma- 
tion of  new  slave  States,  and  the  North,  on  the  other 
hand,  to  prevent  it;  just  as  in  our  times,  with  slavery  out 
of  the  way,  the  admission  of  a new  State  is  sought  or 
opposed,  mainly  with  reference  to  its  effect  upon  party 
or  sectional  ascendancy.  Thus  the  institution,  regard- 
less of  its  morality  or  justice,  after  a while  became  the 
plaything  of  fanatics,  and  the  foot-ball  of  politics. 

It  is  significant,  as  showing  the  estimate  of  the  insti- 
tution in  the  North,  as  a moral  question,  when  discon- 
nected from  political  ends,  that  for  over  a quarter  of  a 
century  after  the  acquisition  of  Louisiana,  the  mere  dis- 
cussion of  abolition  caused  outbreaks  against  those  who 
agitated  it,  in  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  New  Hampshire 
and  Connecticut.  A Northern  historian  says : “The 

riots,  of  which  the  foregoing  were  specimens,  were  too 
numerous  and  widespread  to  be  even  glanced  at  sepa- 
rately.” The  same  writer,  himself  an  early  abolitionist, 
speaking  of  the  responsibility  for  the  existence  of  the 
institution,  declares : “It  were  absurd  to  claim  for  any 
colony  or  section  a moral  superiority  in  this  regard  over 
any  other.” 

No  purpose  of  emancipation  was  announced  until  war  , 


26 


had  long  been  flagrant,  and  then  the  matter  was  handled 
as  a mine  in  the  heart  of  the  Confederacy,  to  be  exploded 
or  not,  as  might  prove  most  advantageous  in  the  conflict 
of  arms.  General  Hunter,  early  in  the  war,  proclaimed 
emancipation  in  certain  States,  and  Lincoln,  in  his  own 
words,  “repudiated  the  proclamation.”  In  his  special 
message  in  1862,  asking  Congress  to  pass  a resolution 
that  the  United  States  ought  to  give  pecuniary  aid  to 
the  States  “which  may  adopt  gradual  abolishment  of 
slavery,”  Lincoln  urged  it  “as  one  of  the  most  efficient 
means  of  self-preservation,”  upon  the  ground,  that  if  by 
means  of  such  action,  some  of  the  border  States  should 
adopt  it,  it  would  deprive  the  Southern  States  of  all 
hope  of  retaining  them  into  the  Confederacy.  “To  de- 
prive them  of  this  hope,”  he  says,  “substantially  ends 
the  rebellion.” 

In  another  state  paper,  about  the  same  time,  he  said . 
“If  I could  save  the  Union  without  freeing  any  of  the 
slaves,  I would  do  it.  If  I could  save  it  by  freeing  all 
of  the  slaves,  1 would  do  it — if  I could  do  it  by  freeing 
some,  and  leaving  others  alone,  I would  also  do  that. 
My  paramount  object  is,  to  save  the  LTnion,  and  not 
either  to  save  or  destroy  slavery.” 

The  first  proclamation  was  an  announcement  of  eman- 
cipation to  be  enforced  against  persons,  who  thereafter 
continued  in  arms  against  the  United  States.  The  avowal 
that  a return  to  .the  Union  would  prevent  the  emancipa- 
tion of  the  slave,  sapped  its  motive  of  any  just  claim 
to  benevolence.  The  purpose  of  the  proclamation  was  to 
conquer,  not  to  free.  It  was  a trumpet  blast  warning 
of  sterner  strife  in  whose  shrill  tones  were  not  blown 
the  sweeter  notes  of  philanthropy.  When  proclaimed, 
it  was  justified  as  a thrust  at  an  armed  enemy,  and  de- 
clared “to  be  warranted  by  the  Constitution,  upon  mili- 
tary necessity.”  It  did  not  include  Maryland,  Kentucky 
or  Missouri,  and  expressly  excluded  portions  of  Louisi- 
ana and  a third  part  of  the  State  of  Virginia. 

The  institution,  though  in  the  beginning  the  North  as 
little  as  the  South  had  designed  it,  was  shot  down  in  the 
angry  strife  between  the  sections,  like  the  sturdy  oak, 
between  the  lines,  by  bullets  sped  at  other  marks,  in  the 
“bloody  angle”  at  Spottsylvania. 

It  is  just  as  absurd  to  say  that  the  war  was  fought  over 
the  justice  or  morality  of  slavery,  as  it  would  be  to  de- 


27 


clare  that  the  conflict  with  the  mother  country,  was  a 
dispute  about  tea  thrown  overboard  in  Boston  harbor. 

HOW  THE  SOUTHERNER  VIEWED,  SLAVERY. 

The  Southerner  was  as  much  concerned  with  the 
moral  aspects  of  slavery  as  any  of  his  countrymen.  As 
late  as  1831,  Virginia,  by  the  narrow  margin  of  one  vote, 
failed  to  disestablish  the  institution, — a result  due  more 
to  assault  without,  than  to  support  of  the  institution 
within  the  ancient  commonwealth.  Even  under  the  un- 
favorable conditions  existing  in  1861,  the  number  of 
manumissions  in  proportion  to  slaves,  was  largely  on 
the  increase  in  the  Southern  States.  The  ultimate  fate 
of  the  institution,  if  it  had  been  left  to  the  South  in  the 
earlier  half  of  the  century — uninfluenced  by  assault 
from  without — can  only  be  told  by  that  Providence 
which  left  the  Southerner  no  alternative  but  to  maintain 
the  institution  against  any  sudden  change,  or  else  con- 
front in  his  own  home,  the  gravest  problem  known  to 
government  and  civilization. 

Violent  or  quick  disruption  of  the  relation  between 
the  races,  would  involve  both  in  long  misery.  If  the 
freedman  left  the  country  who  was  to  take  his  place? 
If  he  remained,  what  was  to  be  the  outcome?  How 
would  the  civilization  of  the  white  man  pulsate  with 
the  intermingled  aspirations  and  voice  of  the  black 
man?  Lincoln  thought  of  this,  and  remedy  for  it  “in 
room  in  South  America  for  colonization?'’  The  South- 
erner knew  it  would  be  impossible  to  induce  or  force  the 
migration  of  millions  of  people,  not  living  together  in 
tribal  relations  in  a separate  territory  of  their  own,  but 
interwoven  with  the  whole  social  and  economic  fabric 
and  scattered  over  a vast  country,  under  the  same  gov- 
ernment, with  the  white  population.  This  was  the  mo- 
mentous problem,  involving  his  hearthstone,  his  honor, 
and  his  posterity,  in  comparison  with  which  slavery 
was  not  to  be  considered,  which  alarmed  the  Southerner 
for  the  future  of  his  children  and  his  happiness  and 
peace  in  the  Union.  The  sections  had  grown  more  and 
more  to  mistrusf  each  other.  Finally  a president  had 
been  elected  by  a sectional  majority  in  the  electoral  col- 
lege, who  had  declared  that  the  country  “could  not  exist 
half  slave  and  half  free.”  Then  it  was,  not  undervalu- 
ing Union,  but  despairing  of  hope  of  longer  living  in 
peace  and  honor  under  the  Union  of  his  Fathers,  the 


28 


Sou  herner,  in  obedience  to  the  instincts  of  self-preserva- 
ion  and  the  teachings  of  a lofty  courage,  declared  that 
lie  would  “depart  in  peace”  and  that  denied  him,  would 
stake  all  upon  his  sword.  That  was  denied  him,  and 
then  came  the  gun  at  Sumpter,  and  then  the  Confederate 
soldier. 


THE  ODDS. 

The  hostile  sections  had  a common  border  of  a thous- 
and miles,  stretching  from  the  Atlantic  ocean  to  the 
western  limits  of  Missouri,  everywhere  easily  crossed  by 
armies.  The  South  had  over  three  thousand  miles  of 
sea-coast,  without  a ship  to  guard  it;  while  the  North 
had  a navy  which  could  attack  this  coast  at  pleasure, 
and  often  co-operate  on  rivers  with  invading  armies  in 
grand  inland  operations. 

The  Confederate  soldier  was  fighting  for  his  home, 
which  gave  him  a decided  moral  advantage.  He  operated 
generally  in  his  own  country,  which  gave  him  a great 
military  advantage,  all  the  fruits  of  which  he  could  not 
reap;  since  he  fought  men  of  the  same  race,  speaking 
the  same  language,  who  often  had  “men  to  the  manner 
born”  in  their  ranks.  He  also  had  the  advantage  of 
moving  bn  interior  lines,  which  was  largely  neutralized 
by  wretched  transportation  facilities,  in  his  sparsely  set- 
tled territory,  and  his  opponent’s  command  of  the  sea, 
and  some  of  our  great  rivers.  In  all  things  else,  the  Con- 
federate was  at  a fearful  disadvantage. 

His  government  was  new,  without  credit,  and  con- 
fronting an  old,  established,  power.  In  men,  ships,  and 
all  that  enters  into  the  equipment,  comfort  and  supply 
of  armies,  the  odds  against  him  were  appalling.  The 
official  records  show  that  the  North  enlisted  throughout 
the  four  years  of  the  war  two  million,  seven  hundred  and 
seventy-eight  thousand  men, — -while  the  South,  accord- 
ing to  the  best  'estimate,  could  not  muster  quite  eight 
hundred  thousand  men.  Of  the  three  million  five  hun- 
dred thousand  combatants  engaged  in  .the  struggle,  near- 
ly two  million  more  fought  on  the  one  side  than  on  the. 
other. 

Dependent  wholly  on  agriculture,  the  South  went  with 
naked  valor  to  battle,  relying  on  the  devotion  and  genius 
of  its  people  to  work  out,  with  the  scant  mechanical  ap- 
pliances in  its  borders,  the  great  problem  of  war. 


29 


Our  fields  were  white  with  cotton,  and  we  had  onr 
flocks;  but  there  were  not  enough  factories  to  make 
cloth,  and  the  soldier  was  always  ragged,  and  often 
naked.  Our  granaries  and  Helds  in  the  interior  were  full 
of  corn  and  wheat  and  provisions,  and  we  had  our  cattle 
and  hogs;  but  there  were  no  shops  or  rolling  mills  to  re- 
place and  repair  our  worn  engines  and  rails,  and  the  di- 
lapidated railroads  could  not  meet  the  wants  of  com- 
munities,—much  less  supply  the  needs  of  war,  whereby 
the  movement  of  armies  was  blocked,  and  soldiers  at  the 
front  starved,  while  there  was  plenty  in  the  rear.  Tan- 
ning establishments  were  so  few,  and  leather  so  scarce, 
that  the  authorities  often  had  to  choose  between  shoes 
for  the  soldier  and  harness  for  the  artillery  and  wagons. 
Even  when  the  former  was  preferred  to  the  latter,  it 
was  often  impossible  to  keep  the  men  shod.  Medicines 
and  surgical  instruments  were  early  declared  contra- 
band of  war,  and  there  was  no  place  in  the  South  where 
they  could  be  made.  It  became  difficult  to  obtain  the 
most  common  surgical  instruments,  and  the  Confederate 
surgeon  frequently  fought  fever  and  wounds,  without 
opiates,  quinine  or  chloroform.  Paper  became  so  scarce, 
and  skilled  laborers  so  few,  that  the  Government  could 
not  print  even  its  paper  promises  fast  enough  to  pay  its 
soldiers.  Methods  hitherto  unknown,  were  availed  of 
to  procure  niter.  Arms  had  to  be  imported  or  captured 
from  the  enemy.  Salt  largely  disappeared,  and,  toward 
the  end,  sugar,  coffee,  and  tea  were  almost  as  rare  as 
diamonds.  Ind<  ed,  the  blockade  soon  reduced  the  ar- 
mies and  people  of  the  South  almost  to  a state  of  nature, 
as  regards  the  necessities  and  comforts  of  a civilized  con- 
dition. 

The  North,  on  the  contrary,  was  tilled  with  mines,  fac- 
tories and  looms,  and  had  a vast  country  untouched  by 
the  track  of  the  invader,  from  which  to  draw  supplies 
and  men.  A wonderful  merchant  marine  transported 
from  across  the  seas,  everything  that  the  wealth  and  in- 
genuity of  man  could  devise  for  the  equipment,  comfort 
and  supply  of  its  armies,  and  the  luxury  of  its  people  at 
home. 

THE  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIER  IN  BATTLE. 

The  exaltation  which  came  to  the  Confederate  with 
the  first  passionate  rushing  to  arms,  and  the  delirium 
which  followed  the  victory  at  Manassas,  gave  way  to  a 


30 


higher  consecration  to  duty  during  the  fall  and  winter 
months,  as  there  came  to  his  ears  notes  of  the  gigantic 
preparations  of  the  invader,  sounding  everywhere  along 
our  borders. 

An  enormous  flotilla  and  powerful  army  were  gather- 
ing in  the  West,  to  repossess  the  upper  Mississippi,  and 
the  Tennessee.  Another  army  and  Meet  were  organizing 
for  descent  on  the  coast  of  North  Carolina.  Still  an- 
other powerful  army  and  fleet  were  being  collected  to 
assault  New  Orleans.  Nearly  200,000  men,  superbly 
equipped  and  disciplined,  lay  around  Washington,  ready 
to  spring  upon  Richmond  when  the  roads  hardened, 
while  auxiliary  armies  threatened  it  from  over  the 
mountains  and  up  the  valley.  Other  forces  and  fleets 
were  in  readiness  to  move  on  Savannah  and  Charleston, 
- — while  all  the  energy  of  the  powerful  North  reinforced 
its  armies  in  Missouri  and  Arkansas  to  aid  in  the  descent 
on  Mississippi.  The  Confederacy  was  to  be  cut  in  twain, 
and  its  capital  and  chief  cities  wrested  from  it,  by  a sim- 
ultaneous concentration  of  numbers  and  blows  from 
every  quarter.  The  giant  Goliath  not  more  despised  the 
shepherd  boy  David,  with  his  sling  and  stone  from  the 
brook,  than  did  the  North  the  meager  forces  which  the 
South  could  gather  to  oppose  it. 

Early  in  the  spring,  the  war  clouds  burst.  Donelson 
was  stormed,  Nashville  and  Columbus  were  evacuated. 
Sydney  Johnston  was  driven  from  Kentucky  and  Ten- 
nessee, Island  No.  10  was  surrendered,  Roanoke  and 
Newbern  were  captured.  New  Orleans  was  lost.  An 
army  had  started  for  the  heart  of  Mississippi,  Vicksburg 
was  attacked,  Charleston  and  Savannah  were  threat- 
ened. The  great  army  of  the  Potomac  forced  its  way  in 
sight  of  the  spires  of  Richmond. 

When  the  year  ended,  three  invading  armies  had  been 
routed  in  the  Valley.  The  splendid  army  which  essayed 
to  capture  Richmond,  beaten  in  a week  of  battles  before 
that  city,  fled  down  the  Peninsula,  only  to  meet  defeat 
again,  when  united  with  another  army  on  the  Rappa- 
hannock ; and  these  two  armies  reinforced,  fought  a 
drawn  battle  in  Maryland,  and  returning  to  Virginia 
again,  met  a crowning  and  disastrous  repulse  at  Freder- 
icksburg. The  victor  at  Donelson  had  nearly  lost  his 
army  at  Shiloh.  The  invaders  of  Mississippi  had  been 
compelled  to  withdraw,  and  the  assailants  of  Vicksburg 


31 


had  been  beaten  off.  The  victorious  Federals  in  North 
Carolina  had  been  withdrawn  to  be  engulfed  in  the  vor- 
tex of  defeat  in  Virginia.  A triumphant  Confederate 
army  marched  through  Tennessee  and  Kentucky,  gath- 
ering and  retiring  with  the  richest  spoils  of  war,  drove 
back  its  assailants  in  Kentucky,  and  as  the  old  year 
faded  into  the  new,  delivered  a stunning  and  bloody  blow 
at  Murfreesboro.  Minor  operations  on  this  extended 
theatre  had  generally  redounded  to  the  glory  of  the  Con- 
federate arms,  and  New  Orleans  only  escaped  their  re- 
conquering grasp  that  year,  because  the  navy  which 
held  it  could  not  be  attacked  by  land.  The  world  stood 
amazed  and  awed  at  these  mighty  results. 

Even  the  posterity  of  the  Confederate  soldier  does  not 
realize  his  work  to  this  day.  It  is  said,  “the  voice  of 
the  stranger  is  like  to  that  of  posterity,”  and  from  the 
stranger  in  strange  lands  came  wonder  and  admiration. 
The  most  powerful  organ  of  public  opinion  in  Europe 
declared : 

“The  people  of  the  Confederate  States  have  made 
themselves  famous.  If  the  renown  of  brilliant  courage, 
stern  devotion  to  a cause,  and  military  'achievements 
almost  without  parallel,  can  compensate  for  the  toil  and 
privations  of  the  hour,  then  the  countrymen  of  Lee  and 
Jackson  may  be  consoled  amid  their  sufferings.  From 
all  parts  of  Europe,  from  enemies  as  well  as  friends, 
comes  the  tribute  of  admiration.  When  the  history  of 
this  war  is  written,  the  admiration  will,  doubtless, 
become  deeper  and  stronger;  and  disclose  a picture  of 
patriotism,  of  self-sacrifice,  of  wisdom  and  firm  adminis- 
tration, which  we  can  now  see  only  indistinctly;  and  the 
details  of  the  extraordinary  national  effort  which  has 
led  to  the  repulse,  and  almost  to  the  destruction,  of  an 
invading  force  of  more  than  a half  a million  of  men,  will 
then  be  known  to  the  world.” 

The  time  allotted  me,  will  not  allow  more  than  a 
glance  at  the  subsequent  campaigns.  Nor,  will  descrip- 
tion be  attempted  of  the  brilliant  service  of  our  sailors, 
since  that  has  been  committed  to  another,  far  fitter  to 
discharge  that  duty.  During  the  awful  struggle  for  the 
possession  of  the  opposing  capitals  during  the  next  two 
years,  the  Confederates’  cup  of  glory  ran  full.  In  one 
of  these  years  he  fought  a tremendous  battle  in  the  heart 
of  the  North  for  Washington,  and  did  not  allow  his  pow 


32 


erf ul  enemy  to  come  within  five  clays’  march  of  Rich- 
mond, and  in  the  other  year  lit  his  bivouac  fires  in  sight 
of  Washington,  while  he  defended  his  capital  and  an- 
other city  twenty  miles  away,  in  ten  months  of  bloody 
and  successful  battle,  until  the  fateful  Sunday  when  the 
thin  line,  worn  by  attrition  and  starvation,  was  broken 
through  at  last. 

He  answered  defeat  at  Vicksburg  and  Gettysburg  with 
victory  at  Chickamauga,  and  pushing  back  the  victor  of 
Gettysburg  to  Centreville,  and  defying  him  at  Mine 
Run;  and  strove  with  ill  fated  and  shining  valor  to  re- 
gain at  Franklin  what  had  been  lost  at  Atlanta.  In  the 
long  struggle  from  Dalton  to  Atlanta,  he  illustrated  the 
stubborn  valor  of  his  race.  Ragged,  starved,  outnum- 
bered, barefooted,  without  money,  in  freezing  storms, 
without  hope  save  in  the  miracles  of  his  valor  and  the 
skill  of  his  leaders,  he  concentrated,  after  the  crushing- 
disaster  at  Nashville,  what  he  could  of  scant  numbers, 
and  won  victory  at  Kingston,  and  Bentonville,  in  the 
vain  hope  to  save  North  Carolina,  and  repel  the  army 
which  had  struck  at  the  life  of  Richmond  from  its  rear. 
Here  he  struggled  to  the  last  at  Blakely  and  Mobile, 
and  vainly  gave  his  blood  at  Selma. 

( )ne  of  Lee’s  last  dispatches  to  Richmond  gives  the  sad 
picture  of  the  suffering  of  the  troops  everywhere: 

“Yesterday,  the  most  inclement  day  of  the  winter,  the 
troops  had  to  be  maintained  in  line  of  battle;  having- 
been  in  the  same  condition  two  previous  days  and  nights. 
I regret  to  be  compelled  to  state  that,  nnder  these  cir- 
cumstances, heightened  by  the  assaults  and  fire  of  the 
enemy,  some  of  the  men  have  been  without  meat  for 
three  days,  and  all  are  suffering  from  reduced  rations, 
scant  clothing,  exposed  to  battle,  cold,  hail  and  sleet. 

* * Their  physical  strength,  if  their  courage  survives, 
must  fail  under  the  treatment.  Taking  these  facts,  in 
connection  with  the  paucity  of  numbers,  you  must  not 
be  surprised  if  calamity  befalls  us.” 

The  land  was  filled  with  graves  and  mourners,  the 
wounded  and  sick  and  despairing.  It  was  harried  by 
armies  so  that  industry  was  vain,  and  women  and  chil- 
dren cried  for  bread.  The  sun  seemed  darkened,  and  the 
air  was  filled  with  wails.  Yet  there  still  rose  above  dis- 
aster, clear-cut  and  strong,  the  heroic  figure  of  the  Con- 
federate soldier, — serene,  subordinate,  unselfish,  uncom- 


33 


plaining, — battling  with  odds,  assailed  by  the  fears  and 
wants  of  those  at  home, — trusting  in  God,  defying  fate, 
and  giving  all  for  duty,  until  the  fabric  of  the  Confeder- 
acy, which  he  so  long  upheld  on  his  bayonets,  “fell  with 
a crash  which  resounded  throughout  the  civilized 
world.” 


THE  RETURN  HOME. 

Many  a time,  in  dreams,  had  this  soldier  marched 
back  home. 

One  day,  in  the  long  ago,  he  stood  on  the  outpost  be- 
yond the  Rapidan.  In  front,  as  far  as  eye  could  reach, 
were  hostile  pickets;  and  camp  fire  smoke,  banked  up  in 
clouds  against  the  sky,  told  where,  like  a panther  ready 
to  spring,  lay,  hidden  in  the  forest,  a mighty  array  in 
blue.  Behind  him  extended  a plain  back  to  the  river, 
all  tasselled  with  corn,  and  streaked  with  brooks  that 
sped  to  the  river.  Beyond  the  river,  grandly  rose  long 
fringes  of  hills,  which  sloped  to  the  stream,  and  broke 
away  behind  in  the  woods.  There  was  smoke  of  camp 
fires,  there;  and  across  the  green  slopes  red  clay  in- 
trenchments  frowned  along  the  fords.  Far  beyond,  to 
the  South,  lay  home,  and  his  eyes  turned  there. 

What  is  this  he  sees?  Artillery  withdrawn  from  the 
fords?  Going  in  battery  on  the  hills?  What  harm  can 
it  do  the  enemy  there?  Soon  flash  out  puffs  of  smoke, 
followed  by  the  boom  of  gun  after  gun.  Then  he  hears, 
breaking  in  on  the  rear,  the  strains  of  Dixie,  and  both 
drowned  by  veils  fiercer  than  of  men  in  fight.  Then, 
challenging  the  gladness  of  the  guns  and  cheers,  as  their 
echoes  die  away,  rings  out  the  martial  burst  of  the  “Mar- 
sel laise.”  Then  the  roar  of  human  voices  hushes;  and 
over  the  distance  steals  on  his  ear  the  sounds  of  “Annie 
Laurie,”  and  then  all  the  bands,  with  golden  tongue, 
pour  out  “Home,  Sweet  Home.” 

When  he  lifts  his  wet  eyes  again,  all  is  bustle  and  stir. 
The  wagon  trains  are  packing  and  moving.  Battalion 
after  battalion  in  grey,  with  shining  steel  and  blood  red 
flags,  breaks  from  the  battle  line,  and  disappears  over 
the  hills.  Every  head  of  column  is  turned  Southward. 
The  hosts  in  blue  are  folding  their  tents,  and  marching 
• beyond  the  Blue  Ridge. 

All  the  beauty  and  worth  of  Virginia  await  the  army 
at  Richmond.  Now,  the  Cabinet  and  Congress  are  stand- 


3 


34 


ing  at  the  foot  of  Washington's  monument,  but  the  Presi- 
dent sits  his  horse  under  the  spires  of  St.  Paul.  The 
fences  around  the  capitol  have  been  removed.  Thous- 
ands of  lovely  women  crowd  the  grounds.  The  signal 
for  the  great  review  is  the  firing  of  the  heavy  guns  on  the 
Janies ; and  while  the  streets  yet  tremble  the  band  strikes 
up  as  the  column,  with  Lee  at  its  head,  comes  in  sight, 
and  when  tfye  sword  of  Lee  salutes  the  President,  the 
majestic  voice  of  thousands  of  freemen,  grander  than 
the  roar  of  ocean  in  storm,  sends  up  one  long,  unbroken, 
triumphant  hallelujah  to  the  skies.  Even  the  bronze 
figure  looking  down  from  the  top  of  the  monument, 
seems,  for  the  moment,  to  take  on  the  spirit  of  the  im- 
mortal Washington.  Pale  and  careworn,  but  erect,  ma- 
jestic and  triumphant,  the  President,  with  Lee  by  his 
side,  sits  his  horse,  and  for  hours  watches  that  proud  ar- 
ray of  “tattered  jackets  and  bright  muskets”  and  the  red 
flutter  of  battle  smoked  flags.  The  sun  sets.  The  moon 
rises,  gilding  anew  the. statues  on  the  monument,  and 
flooding  through  the  trees,  in  golden  lights,  lends  its  own 
beauty  and  softness  to  the  mothers  and  maidens  who 
linger  until  the  last  battalion  passes  out  of  sound  and 
sight. 

“Oh!  these  were  hours  when  thrilling  joy  repaid 
A long,  long  course  of  darkness,  doubts  and  fears — 

The  heartsick  faintness  of  the  hope  delayed, 

The  waste,  the  woe,  the  bloodshed,  and  tears, 

That  tracked  with  terror  the  rolling  years.  ” 

Next  morning  the  troops  start  South.  The  panting 
locomotive  crosses  the  Chattahoochee,  and  the  Alabama 
soldier  stands  again  on  Alabama  soil.  Floods  and  raids 
have  broken  the  railroads  beyond,  and  the  troops  must 
march  overland  for  home. 

The  morning  bugle  call  to  arms  is  sweeter  now  than 
the  fox  horn's  notes,  and  familiar  scenes  bring  back  the 
sweet  days  of  “An Id  Lang  Syne.”  The  soldier  is  near- 
ing home.  His  company  ends  its  last  march  in  the  woods 
by  the  school  house — almost  in  sight  of  the  house  where 
he  was  born.  He  spreads  his  blanket  near  the  spring, 
where  he  had  often  played  with  the  boys  who  would  not 
look  on  home  tomorrow.  He  can  not  sleep,  but  watches 
the  stars  go  down,  and  waits  the  rosy  morn  which  will  , 
hail  with  its  crystal  light  the  blue  hill  in  the  distance, 
and  the  road  winding  up  its  slope  to  the  trees  that  rustle 


above  bis  chimney.  Early  lie  is  on  the  march.  Now,  he 
hears  the  peals  of  the  village  bells,  “sweeter  than  silver 
chimes  by  moonlight.”  Way  off  he  sees  the  villagers 
not[x  a‘9ixi(i„  ippAi  mei[|  s^oojS  pnuq  aipp  -^no  Smrtioo 
faint,  then  nearer  and  clearer,  wild  like  the  storm,  conies 
back  the  grander  music  of  long,  unbroken,  triumphant 
cheers,  drowning  bugle  and  drum.  He  is  in  the  village 
now,  marching  past  his  own  door.  He  sees  the  baby  held 
up  high  in  the  sister’s  arms,  hears  the  shout  of  the  old 
man  and  boy,  and  drinks  in,  at  the  window,  the  sweet 
old  face  of  mother,  and  the  shy  fond  look  of  one  dearer 
than  sister,  watching  at  the  gate.  The  glad  breeze  lifts 
above  the  ranks  the  torn  flag  these  women  gave  him,  and 
twines  it  with  the  shining  bayonets.  He  marches  under 
the  Arch  and  through  lanes  of  maidens  strewing  flow- 
ers, and  then  the  company  halts,  and  stacks  arms  in  the 
grove,  near  the  church,  where  they  heard  the  sermon  the 
day  they  left  for  the  war.  Now  from  the  same  church 
walls,  the  “Te  Deum,”  and  songs  of  praise  to  the  Lord 
God  of  Hosts,  to  whom  all  glories  are;”  swell  upward 
and  thrill  the  conscious  air.  Then  he  goes  home,  and  in 
sweet  communion  with  those  around  his  fireside,  thanks 
God,  with  overflowing  heart,  for  peace. 

Alas,  it  is  all  the  phantom  of  a dream.  He  has  stacked 
arms,  but  not  before  the  village  church.  He  has  been 
sleeping  the  night  after  Appomattox. 

On  his  homeward  journey,  he  hears  his  leader  is 
chained  in  a dungeon,  and  the  terms  of  peace,  proclaimed 
by  a Southern-born  President,  in  prosecutions  for  “trea- 
son,” disfranchisement,  and  confiscation.  Then  came  the 
temptation  to  war,  forever,  in  the  hedges,  by-ways  and 
swamps,  “until  death  should  better  him.”  There  came 
the  calm  voice  of  Lee, — “The  South  requires  her  sons 
more  now  than  at  any  period  in  her  history.  I have  no 
thought  of  abandoning  her,  unless  compelled  to  do  so.” 

* The  weary  soldier  put  aside  his  thought  of  vengeance 
and  trudged  on  home.  He  found  the  slave  his  political 
master,  his  home  in  ruins  and  his  fields  in  weeds  and 
waste.  There  was  not  seed  enough  to  plant  a crop,  nor 
work  animals  enough  for  the.  plough.  He  saw  famine 
kill  what  war  had  spared,  and  strangers  sit  in  judgment 
seats,  while  bayonets  made  law.  He  was  met  and  cheered 
bv  woman,  and  opposing  courage  and  fortitude  to  op- 
pression and  folly,  he  despised  despair,  and  taught  the 
world  “how  sublime  it  is  to  suffer  and  grow  strong.” 


38 


PICTURE  OF  THIS  SOLDIER. 

Would  that  I could  draw  a picture  of  this  soldier,  “as 
lie  lived  and  moved  and  had  his  being.”  Of  the  special 
traits  of  the  infantry,  the  artillery  and  the  cavalry,  and 
the  sailor,  I may  not  speak,  since  more  eloquent  lips 
which  you  are  yet  to  hear  will  tell  you  of  them.  I can 
only  speak  of  the  characteristics  which  distinguished 
them  all. 

Home  was  his  ideal,  and  wife,  mother  and  sister  were 
his  “holy  of  holies.”  They  planted,  deep  in  his  bosom, 
the  instinct  that  manhood  required  he  should  yield  to 
other  women,  the  respect  and  deference  he  demanded  for 
those  about  his  hearthstone.  He  loved  his  community; 
for  the  hospitality  of  his  roof,  took  in  his  community, 
and  good  offices  of  neighbors  made  them  a part  of  every 
home. 

He  was  taught  respect  for  authority.  The  institutions 
and  social  customs  among  which  he  was  reared  brought 
him  into  association  with  those  he  acknowledged  as  his 
‘betters,’  and  those  who  acknowledged  him  to  be  their 
superior.  He  was  thus  trained  both  to  obey  and  com- 
mand. He  came  upon  the  stage  at  a time  of  acute  politi- 
cal discussion,  when  not  every  man  esteemed  himself  a 
statesman,  and  followed  almost  blindly,  as  his  father 
did  before  him,  some  great  leader  who  appeared  to  him 
the  most  fit  exponent  of  his  thoughts;  and  this  habit  of 
peace  followed  him  in  war. 

When  he  entered  the  army,  his  company  was  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  community,  and  he  of  his  home.  They 
were  with  him  everywhere- — on  the  march,  bivouac,  and 
battle  line.  His  home  and  community  watched  his  do- 
ings and  shared  his  trials.  He  would  as  soon  have 
brought  disgrace  on  his  own  home,  or  the  little  village 
where  he  expected  to  return,  as  to  sully  his  own  name, 
or  that  of  the  organization  to  which  he  belonged,  by 
rapine,  insubordination  or  any  other  kind  of  unsoldierly 
conduct.  He  hardly  needed  Lee’s  noble  order  to  restrain 
him  in  Pennsylvania.  He  could  not  disgrace  his  home 
by  pillage  of  another’s  home,  or  degrade  his  Avife  and 
mother  by  insulting  the  wives  and  mothers  of  other  men. 
His  chivalry  taught  him  to  protect  the  defenseless.  Gor- 
don expressed  this  feeling  when  he  said  to  the  frightened 
women  of  the  invaded  town  of  York,  who  feared  insult  if 
his  ragged  troops  were  permitted  to  disperse  through  the 


37 


town:  “Have  no  fear;  yon  are  as  safe  as  if  your  own 

people  were  here.  My  men  would  not  let  the  man  who 
harmed  a woman  live  to  see  the  sun  go  down.” 

It  is  not  strange  that  this  soldier  who  had  such  home 
influences,  and  received  letters  by  every  mail  telling 
him  of  their  prayers  for  him,  should  think  of  prayer  for 
himself  and  his  cause.  It  is  a sustaining  thought  in  the 
hour  of  battle,  that  there  is  an  invisible  hand  which  may 
be  invoked  to  save  and  to  shield.  Whether  secretly  or 
openly,  the  soldier  who  had  gone  unscathed  in  many 
battles,  began  to  pray  for  himself,  and  became  resigned 
to  the  will  of  a Higher  Power.  He  began  to  consider 
himself  a mere  instrument  in  the  hands  of  Providence, 
and  by  the  very  exaltation  of  his  faith  and  consecration 
to  duty,  became  possessed  of  a strange  moral  and  physi- 
cal strength.  He  had  an  abiding  faith,  amounting  al- 
most to  fanaticism,  that  the  God  of  battles  would,  in  the 
end,  send  his  cause  safe  deliverance. 

He  was  always  without  money;  yet  was  never  known 
to  beg  for  money.  His  month's  pay  during  the  last  half 
of  the  struggle,  would  hardly  buy  a dinner,  and  towards 
the  last,  his  government  was  unable  to  pay  at  all.  Many 
of  his  Revolutionary  fathers,  under  less  galling  circum- 
stances, threatened  to  leave  Washington  before  Trenton, 
and  could  be  persuaded  to  strike  the  blow  there,  only 
upon  compliance  with  their  demand,  for  “a  bounty  of  ten 
dollars,  provided  it  should  be  paid  in  hard  money,”  for 
already,  says  the  historian,  “distrust  of  the  continental 
currency  was  beginning  to  cause  its  depreciation.” 
These  same  Revolutionary  soldiers,  even  after  peace, 
threatened  calamities  to  the  Republic  on  account  of  ar- 
rears of  pay,  which  only  the  wisdom  and  firmness  of 
Washington  could  avert.  This  Confederate  had  seen 
value  quickly  depart  from  the  Confederate  note  in  which 
he  was  paid,  until  it  became  practically  worthless  to- 
wards the  end;  yet  he  never  remonstrated  with  his  gov- 
ernment; and  no  thought  entered  his  brain  to  stay  the 
arm  of  Lee  or  Johnston,  until  he  could  have  a balance 
struck  and  settled. 

There  was  an  intense  spirit  of  comradeship  in  this 
man.  There  quickly  grew  up  an  instinctive  order  of 
knighthood  among  such  men,  in  the  face  of  danger, 
which  broke  down  all  these  differences  of  rank  and 
worldly  condition,  which  elsewhere  so  often  prevent  the 


38 


oneness  of  armies.  If  an  officer  was  brave,  impartial, 
and  cared  for  his  men,  this  soldier  would  follow  him 
anywhere,  and  never  complain  of  the  strictness  of  his 
discipline.  He  was  a fine  judge  of  men.  He  elected  his 
own  officers,  and  i-f  mistaken  in  them,  soon  found  means 
to  Aveed  out  the  inefficient.  He  did  better  in  his  day  by 
the  election  of  officers,  than  in  this  day  when  they  are 
appointed.  Gordon  and  Rodes  are  examples  of  the  men 
whom  lie  selected  to  lead. 

He  Avas  a cleanly  man,  despite  his  rags.  Most  of  them 
had  sooner  parted  Avitli  a pair  of  shoes,  than  a good  tooth 
brush.  Who  lias  forgotten  the  queer  sight  of  the  tooth 
brush  sticking  from  the  buttondioles  of  his  jacket;  or 
how,  when  the  blockade  exhausted  the  supply  of  these, 
he  became  an  expert  in  making  brushes  from  dogberry  or 
sassafras?  On  the  march  he  had  no  knapsack.  If  he 
had  change  of  clothing,  he  put  it  within  his  blanket, 
roiled  it  up,  tied  it  at  the  ends,  put  the  loop  over  his 
head  and  shoulders.  A canteen,  and  sometimes  a frying 
pan  and  a jack  knife,  were  all  he  carried,  besides  his 
arms  and  belt.  His  pantaloons  Avere  tied  at  the  bottom, 
and  thrust  inside  his  shoe.  His  Avoolen  hat  Avas  often 
his  only  tent.  He  was  as  cheerful  as  the  Indian  at  the 
“Feast  of  Green  Corn,”  Avhen  his  only  rations  were  roast- 
ing ears.  There  Avas  philosophy,  as  A\rell  as  humor,  in 
the  remark  of  the  soldier  whom  his  officer  rebuked  for 
breaking  rank,  and  going  after  persimmons,  that  “he 
needed  them  to  pucker  up  his  mouth,  so  as  to  fit  his 
rations.” 

He  Was  full  of  humor,  jokes  and  jests.  Woe  be  to  the 
unhappy  able-bodied  civilian  who  passed  his  line — he 
ran  the  gauntlet  of  a fire  of  gibes  more  galling  than  a 
nest  of  hornets. 

He  Avas  always  respectful  to  women,  the  minister  and 
the  aged,  and  would  march  barefooted  in  the  mud  to  give 
the  road  to  a Avoman  and  child  in  a buggy,  A\Tliile  he 
Avould  back  an  able-bodied  man  into  the  fence  corner, 
to  get  him  out  of  the  way. 

He  was  modest  withal,  and  seldom  wrote  to  the  papers 
of  his  achievements.  When  he  felt  injustice  had  been 
done  his  command,  he  was  apt  to  believe  time  would 
right  him,  and  to  say  as  Jackson  did,  AAdien  his  part  at 
Manassas  was  misrepresented — “My  brigade  is  not  a 
brigade  of  neAvspaper  correspondents.” 


39 


There  was  something  pathetic  in  his  devotion  to  his 
battle-flag.  There  were  seldom  covers  for  them,  and  in 
camp  the  color  bearer  sometimes  rolled  them  up  for  a 
pillow — but  in  the  battle,  it  was  as  the  Gross  to  the  Cru- 
sader, and  he  would  follow  wherever  any  would  carry  it. 

He  was  not  always  up  on  salutes,  and  the  finer  points 
of  tactics  or  guard  duty ; but  in  the  essentials  of  march- 
ing, fighting  and  taking  care  of  himself,  he  had  no  su- 
perior. He  knew  how  to  show  respect  for  the  officer  he 
loved,  and  often  he  would  not  go  forward  until  his  leader 
went  back,  in  time  of  danger.  His  battalion  drill  may 
have  been  somewhat  ragged;  but  his  alignment  in  the 
charge  was  magnificent,  his  fire  by  file  unequalled,  and 
his  “rebel  yell”  the  grandest  music  on  earth. 

Who  that  looked  on  him  can  ever  forget  his  bright 
face,  his  tattered  jacket,  and  battered  hat,  his  jests, 
which  tickled  the  very  ribs  of  death — his  weary  marches 
in  heat  and  cold  and  storm? — his  pangs  of  hunger,  his 
parching  fever,  and  agony  of  wounds — his  passing  away 
in  hospital  or  prison,  when  the  weak  body  freed  the 
dauntless  soul — his  bare  feet  tracking  the  rugged  fields 
of  Virginia,  and  Georgia  and  Tennessee,  with  stains  like 
those  which  reddened  the  snow  at  Valley  Forge — his 
soul  clutching  his  colors,  while  suffering  and  unpro- 
tected wife  and  child  cried  for  him  at  home — his  faith 
and  hope  and  patience  to  the  end — his  love  of  home,  de- 
ference to  woman  and  trust  in  God — his  courage  which 
sounded  all  the  depths  and  shoals  of  misfortune,  and 
for  a time  throttled  fate — the  ringing  veil  of  his  onset, 
his  battle  anthem  for  uative  land  rising  Heavenward 
above  the  roar  of  five  hundred  stormy  fields? 

his  antagonist. 

While  we  speak  of  the  Confederate  soldier,  there  rises 
before  us  the  image  of  his  antagonist,  whom  none  that 
fought  him  would  ever  depreciate.  He  too  came  at  the 
call  of  his  State,  the  earthly  tribunal  before  which  it  was 
our  faith  all  men  should  bow. 

He  believed,  and  had  been  reared  to  believe,  that  the 
future  of  the  Republic  demanded  but  one  flag  between 
the  seas.  Not  Pickett’s  charge  at  Gettysburg  nor  Cle 
burne’s  at  Franklin,  outshine  in  vain  but  glorious  valor, 
the  lustre  of  his  assault  at  Mayres  Heights,  and  his  mad 
charges  at  Spottsylvania  and  Cold  Harbor.  He  had 


40 


grander  courage  yet — he  did  not  mock  uSi  at  Appommat- 
tax.  Had  these  men  the  power  to  control  the  peace,  the 
Southern  soldier  had  been  spared  the  hardest  trials  that 
came  to  him  with,  the  end  of  armed  hostilities. 

WE  ARE  CONTENT  IN  THE  HOME  OF  OUR  FATHERS. 

The  Past  asks  what  of  the  Future?  We  can  answer 
— as  fearlessly  as  the  dead  answered  the  call  on  them — 
we  are  content  in  the  home  of  our  fathers.  Neither 
fealty  to  the  dead,  fidelity  to  principle,  nor  any  law  of 
honor  or  interest,  impels  us  to  a different  answer.  It  is 
important,  however,  to  inquire  why  this  is  so. 

It  is  a narrow  and  dishonoring  view,  that  this  content 
conies  from  defeat  and  the  parole  at  Appomattox.  A new 
generation  has  arisen  since  then.  Paroles  bind  the  gen- 
eration which  gives  them ; but  neither  future  genera- 
tions nor  great  principles  can  be  paroled.  There  must  be 
surer  and  better  foundation  for  this  content,  now,  of 
millions  in  a government,  from  which,  a third  of  a cen- 
tury ago,  they  made  so  many  sacrifices  to  separate,  than 
the  memory  of  parchment  which  recalls  a disaster  in 
arms. 

We  are  Americans,  proud  of  our  country  and  its  flag, 
because  Alabama  is  lord  of  her  own  and  vassal  to  none, 
and  our  highest  hopes  of  happiness  are  bound  up  in  the 
rule  of  one  government  of  co-equal  States,  under  the 
Constitution,  for  the  North  American  continent. 

Why  should  it  not  be  so? 

When  the  Confederate  furled  his  Hag,  no  strange  flag 
vexed  him.  The  new  banner  that  rose  over  his  home  was 
the  old  flag  of  his  forefathers.  Every  battlefield  and 
glory  it  recalls  is  bright  with  the  valor  and  achievements 
of  his  ancestors.  When  we  left,  we  did  not  claim  the 
flag,  and  as  it  comes  back  to  us,  now,  it  stands  for  no 
thought  at  war  with  our  interest,  our  liberties  or  our 
honor,  but  lifts  its  folds  proudly  in  the  skies  of  every 
land,  as  our  protector  and  defender.  Why  may  we  not 
love  it  now  as  the  symbol  of  a re-united  land? 

If  then  not  the  flag,  is  it  the  feeling  between  those  who 
dwell  under  the  flag,  that  should  keep  our  hearts  apart? 
Never  was  there  better  understanding  and  more  good 
will  between  the  sections. 

Industry  and  economic  conditions  have  so  changed 
that  Federal  legislation  rarely  presents  a sectional  as- 


41 


pect.  Hostility  and  discord  between  the  sections  are 
weaker  than  ever  before,  since  the  sections  are  juster  to 
each  other  than  ever  before.  We  have  our  share  of  the 
glories  of  the  Republic.  We  have  thrilled  at  the  thought 
of  a loved  Montgomerian,  standing  under  the  broad  pen- 
nant of  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  in  an  American  flag 
ship,  as  it  ploughed  through  the  waters  of  the  Chesa- 
peake and  be  received  the  salutes  of  the  navies  of  the 
earth.  Alabama  gave  to  the  country  the  cavalry  leader 
of  the  west  to  win  glory  at  Santiago,  at  the  bead  of  a 
division  of  regulars.  We  have  rejoiced  at  the  fame  of  the 
Greensboro  youth,  Alabama’s  Pelham  of  the  seas,  who 
rivaling  and  recalling  the  daring  of  that  Alabamian  who 
sank  himself  and  the  Housatonic  in  Charleston  Harbor, 
sank  the  Merrimac  in  Santiago  harbor,  and  then  rose 
in  sight  of  the  world.  We  have  watched  regiments  of 
our  own  sons,  and  wafted  prayers  with  them,  as  they 
marched  off  under  the  Stars  and  Stripes. 

If  slavery  was  the  cause  of  the  war,  it  has  perished  in 
the  march  of  events.  Who  would  bring  it  back,  or  war 
about  it  now?  Its  doom  was  inevitable,  as  it  had  served 
its  day  in  the  purposes  of  the  great  Creator.  That  it  was 
fast  becoming  a very  body  of  death  to  our  advancement 
and  prosperity  is  not  now  denied.  It  made  a wide  and 
ever  widening  gulf  between  the  man  who  owned  and  the 
man  who  did  not  own  slaves.  It  promoted  false  ideas 
of  the  dignity  and  worth  of  labor  by  the  white  man,  and 
the  economic  policies  which  it  created,  impoverished  us, 
and  shut  us  out  from  the  world.  It  is  far  better  for  us, 
at  least,  that  it  is  dead. 

It  is  simple  truth,  that  the  institution  as  it  existed  in 
1861  was  mildness  itself  compared  with  its  history  else- 
where. It  was  not  the  slavery  of  men  of  our  own  race, 
which  in  substance  though  not  in  name,  often  haunts 
civilization  elsewhere.  The  ancestor  of  the  slave  did  not 
lose  liberty  when  brought  to  his  master  here.  The  do- 
minion was  not  based  more  on  force  than  the  ignorance 
and  need  for  protection  of  the  slave.  It  is  an  imperish- 
able tribute  to  its  kindness  that  throughout  a terrible 
civil  war,  in  which  hostile  armies  traversed  a country 
filled  with  slaves,  they  never  once  rose  anywhere  in  in- 
surrection against  their  masters.  Whether  those  who 
by  force  of  circumstances  maintained  it,  were  not  as 
noble  as  those  who,  by  force  of  circumstances  opposed  it, 


42 


we  may  well  leave  to  the  calm  judgment  of  posterity, 
and  to  the  Providence  which  placed  the  institution  in 
our  midst,  with  the  names  of  Washington  and  Jefferson, 
Madison  and  Monroe,  Marshall  and  Calhoun,  Clay  and 
Crittenden,  Davis  and  Lee,  Maury  and  Manty,  and 
Stonewall  Jackson  and  Stephen  Elliott. 

But  what  of  the  great  principles  for  which  we  fought? 
Have  we  abandoned  them?  The  great  substantial  ani- 
mating principle  for  which  the  South  struggled  was  the 
right  of  a State  to  control  its  own  domestic  affairs — the 
right  to  order  its  own  altars  and  firesides  without  out- 
side interference — the  right  of  local  sovereignty  for 
which  brave  people  struggle  everywhere,  and  without 
which  there  is  no  peace.  Secession  itself  was  a mere 
incident  in  the  application  of  this  principle.  So  great 
was  the  attachment  to  the  principles  of  union,  v and  so 
little  was  the  right  of  secession  cherished  in  itself  that 
its  assertion  was  wrung  from  the  South  only  by  the  con- 
viction of  some  States,  that  they  could  no  longer  live  in 
the  Union  in  peace  and  honor,  and  by  the  dread  alterna- 
tive presented  others,  by  the  call  from  Washington  for 
troops,  to  draw  the  sword  for  or  against  their  own  flesh 
and  blood. 

If  the  defeated  Confederate  soldier  did  not  immedi- 
ately vindicate  the  right  of  a State  to  order  its  own  do- 
mestic affairs,  even  at  the  expense  of  Union;  neither  did 
the  victorious  Northern  soldier  vindicate  any  principle 
of  Union  without  regard  to  the  just  rights  of  the  States. 
I speak  not  now  of  that  mere  physical  Union  like  the 
chain  which  bands  Ireland  and  England,  but  of  that  liv- 
ing, breathing,  soul  of  liberty,  which  binds  co-equal 
States  in  unison  of  happiness,  around  the  common  altar 
of  the  Constitution. 

The  Union  of  the  fathers,  like  the  rights  of  the  States, 
was  dead  for  twelve  long  years  after  the  war.  Neither 
came  back  until  the  heart  of  the  North,  better  under- 
standing itself  and  the  South,  abandoned  the  dream  of 
force,  and  President  Hayes — to  whom  I am  glad  to  pay 
this  tribute — speaking  in  the  name  of  Union — declared 
that  the  bayonet  could  not  rule,  and  “the  flag  should  float 
over  States,  not  Provinces.”  With  that  Union  came 
back,  inevitably,  as  night  follows  day,  recognition  of  the 
great  principle  that  the  safety  and  happiness  of  the 
American  people  and  the  future  of  Constitutional  lib- 


43 


erty,  depend  not  more  on  Union,  than  on  equality  of  the 
States,  and  the  right  to  work  out  their  own  destiny 
around  their  own  firesides ; and  that  one  is  not  complete 
without  the  other.  This  principle  which  underlies  all 
real  liberty  and  happiness,  stands  today,  thank  God,  up- 
right and  unchallenged  in  the  hearts  of  the  American 
people.  Of  a truth  then  we  may  declare  that  “the  grand 
army  of  martyrs  which  is  still  marching  onward  beyond 
the  stars,”  which  fought  at  last  not  for  secession  or  slav- 
ery, but  for  the  right  of  a State  to  govern  itself  in  all 
that  pertains  solely  to  itself,  have  not  died  in  vain. 

ALABAMA  SHOULD  WRITE  HISTORY. 

- “Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother  that  thy  days  may 
be  long  in  the  land  which  the  Lord  thv  God  givetli  thee” 
— was  written  not  alone  of  those  whose  name  and  blood 
we  inherit,  but  as  well  of  generations  which  have  borne 
the  heat  and  burden  of  days  that  are  behind  us.  A 
people  may  neglect  the  command  and  forfeit  the  promise 
as  well  as  the  child.  Those  were  brave  words  of  the 
statesman  who  said,  “society  has  a soul  as  well  as  a 
body.  The  traditions  of  a nation  are  a part  of  its  exist- 
ence,— its  valor  and  discipline,  its  religious  faith,  its 
venerable  laws,  its  science  and  erudition, — its  poetry,  its 
art,  its  wise  laws  and  its  scholarship,  are  as  much  the 
blood  of  its  life,  as  its  agriculture,  its  commerce  and  its 
engineering  skill.”  Bursting  granaries,  wide  orchards 
and  fields,  rushing  locomotives,  the  whirr  of  spindles, 
the  smoke  of  furnaces  and  the  white  sails  of  commerce, 
alone,  can  not  make  a people  great.  Without  manhood 
and  virtue,  love  of  God  and  native  land,  no  people  can 
become  really  great  or  long  remain  free.  These  virtues 
wither  and  die,  in  the  land  where  the  child  forgets  the 
father,  and  is  unmindful  of  the  heritage  of  his  noble  ex- 
ample and  sacrifices.  We  serve  humanity  and  country, 
when  we  remind  the  children  of  the  Confederate  soldier, 
of  his  life  and  achievements. 

Our  duty  is  not  ended  with  the  building  of  this  monu- 
ment, Where  may  Alabamian  find  a roll  of  the  men  who 
made  history  and  yet  left  no  name  on  its  pages?  Where 
can  he  find  the  names  of  the  great  throng  who  died,  with 
no  rank  to  attract  the  eyes  of  the  country,  and  went 
down  to  death,  uncheered  save  by  the  firm  beating  of 
their  own  dauntless  hearts.  Can  he  find  their  names 
among  the  archives  of  the  State  for  which  they  gave  their 


44 


lives?  They  are  not  there.  In  historic  publications  of 
her  heroic  sons? — She  has  written  none.  Will  he  find 
them  on  the  graves  of  the  dead?  Some  have  no  head- 
stones, and  many  are  marked  “unknown.”  There  is  but 
one  sacred  spot  on  earth,  where  these  names  are  kept. 
Look  in  the  hearts  of  our  noble  women,  and  there  you 
will  find  them  all.  But,  the  gentle  lips  which  said  the 
prayers  he  could  not  say,  and  the  white  hands  which 
shunned  ho  toil  for  him,  and  the  pure  souls  that  rose 
above  him  with  a courage  grander  than  his  own,  are  fast 
passing  away.  Almost  alone,  for  thirty-three  years,  she 
has  guarded  the  memory  of  the  dead.  Her  lips  have  ut- 
tered no  complaint.  Yet  one  reads  in  her  wistful  eyes 
the  thought  that  the  comrades  of  the  dead  have  not  kept 
full  faith  with  him,  when  the  State  for  which  he  died, 
ruled  by  his  comrades  and  their  children,  has  not  even 
traced  the  names  of  the  dead  in  the  chronicles  of  her 
history,  and  leaves  her  the  bodies  of  her  dead  sons,  who 
perished  in  prison,  far-off  by  the  lakes,  indebted  to  the 
chance  kindness  of  the  stranger  for  the  handful  of  earth 
and  the  enclosure,  that  saves  them  from  the  beasts  of  the 
fields  and  the  birds  of  the  air.  Poverty  and  despair  long- 
pleaded  to  excuse  us,  but  that  excuse  is  not  good  now. 
Let  the  voice  of  the  people  “throng  in  and  become  par- 
takers of  the  councils  of  state,”  until  the  peoples’  repre- 
sentatives take  away  this  reproach.  It  can  not  be,  as 
some  have  urged,  that  the  State  which  could  send  over 
one  hundred  thousand  men  to  battle  and  death,  may  not, 
under  the  Constitution  for  which  they  fought,  rightly  ex- 
pend money  for  the  roll  of  their  names  or  history  of  their 
achievements.  It  can  not  be  that  the  State  can  offer  a 
money  reward  to  a civil  officer  for  catching  a malefactor, 
and  can  not  give  a sword  as  reward  to  a soldier  for  lion 
oring  her  people  in  battle.  This  State  were  weak,  indeed, 
if  so  poor  in  power  and  right.  Long  ago  the  law  was  de- 
clared in  Alabama  that  the  “whole  unbounded  power”  of 
man  over  man,  in  matters  temporal,  resides  in  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  State,  save  as  expressly  or  by  necessary 
implication  denied  by  the  State  and  Federal  Constitu- 
tions. There  is  no  want  of  power. 

THE  PASSING  OF  THE  CONFEDERACY. 

That  is  the  masterpiece — the  touching  Idyl  of  the 
“Passing  of  Arthur.”  The  king,  beaten  in  his  last  battle, 
and  drawing  near  to  death,  commanded  his  knight  to 


45 


take  the  blade,  “which  would  be  known  wherever  he  was 
sung  in  after  time,”  and  throw  it  in  the  lake.  But  the 
knight  believing  the  king's  fame  would  be  hid  from  the 
world  in  after  times,  if  “so  precious  thing  should  be  lost 
from  earth  forever,”  feigned  obedience,  and  hid  the 
sword  among  the  water-flags.  Then  came  from  the  king's 
pale  lips,  the  despairing  cry : “Woe  is  me,  authority  for- 
gets a dying  king,  laid  widowed  of  his  power.”  Shamed 
to  obedience,  the  knight  threw  the  blade  in  the  lake,  and 
Arthur,  when  told  of  the  arm  that  rose  up  from  the 
mists  and  caught  it,  sure  it  would  never  again  be  seen 
by  mortal  eyes,  “passed  to  be  king  of  the  dead.” 

Our  Arthur  passed  to  the  “island — valley  of  Avilion,” 
with  no  cry  on  his  lips  or  thought  in  his  heart  that  “au- 
thority forgets  a king,  laid  widowed  of  his  power;”  for 
here  the  love  of  a people  touched  away  the  scar  of  the 
fetters,  and  crowned  him  king  again.  As  the  monument 
whose  foundation  he  laid,  crowned  in  its  finished  glory 
with  the  statues,  is  about  to  be  committed  to  the  State 
and  Time,  we  are  looking  upon  the  passing  of  the  Con- 
federacy. No  “arm  clothed  in  white  samite,  mystic  and 
wonderful,”  rises  out  of  earth  to  bear  away  our  treasures 
from  the  sight  of  men, — but  here  where  the  Confederacy 
was  born,  and  in  the  presence  of  God  and  this  multitude, 
we  reverently  dedicate  to  the  glory  of  a common  coun- 
try, and  unfold  for  the  benefaction  of  mankind,  the 
priceless  treasure  of  the  life  and  character  of  the  Con- 
federate soldier.” 

Deafening  applause  and  booming  cannon  punctuated 
this  brilliant  peroration,  worthy  of  Tennyson  himself, 
following  which  came  the  scholarly  address,  too  easy  to 
be  called  an  effort,  of  the  gifted  General  Jno.  W.  A.  San- 
ford, in  English  chaste  and  strong,  in  language  that 
flowed  purely  as  flow  our  mountain  streams  as  they  mur- 
mur a beautiful  requiem  to  the  lonely  picket  who 
dropped  where  the  laurels  bloom  by  the  wild  sweet  brier. 

Gen.  John  W.  A.  Sanford  had  been  invited  to  deliver 
the  oration  preliminary  to  the  unveiling  of  the  statue 
dedicated  to  the  Confederate  Infantry.  Upon  being  in- 
troduced by  the  Chairman,  Gen.  Sanford  said  : 

“Mr.  President , Ladies  of  the  Memorial  Association , 
Comrades , Ladies  and  Fellow  Countrymen : 

I congratulate  the  State  of  Alabama  and  I do  especi- 
ally congratulate  the  Ladies'  Memorial  Association  upon 


46 


the  early  completion  of  this  magnificent  monument  to 
perpetuate  the  memory  of  the  Confederate  soldiers  and 
seamen  of  this  grand  commonwealth.  It  forever  com- 
memorates a cordial  appreciation  of  the  superb  qualities 
manifested  by  the  Confederate  warriors  and  people, 
during  the  war  between  the  States. 

Its  corner-stone  was  laid  by  the  immortal  Jefferson 
Davis  and  is  a suitable  memorial  of  the  dead  Confeder- 
acy-. It  marks  the  close  of  an  eventful  era  not  only  in 
the  career  of  the  United  States,  but  also,  in  the  history 
of  the  world.  It  defines  the  limit  of  a civilization  pe- 
ns liarly  Southern  and  which  is  the  crowning  glory  of  the 
Christian  centuries. 

The  people  who  created  it  were  characterized  by  many 
brilliant  gifts  and  laudable  qualities.  They  were  distin- 
guished by  pride  of  race;  by  a sense  of  honor  that  noth- 
ing could  make  them  forget;  by  a conviction  that  cour- 
age was  absolutely  essential  to  all  true  manliness,  and 
that  integrity  was  a fundamental  law  of  society;  by  a 
love  of  liberty  and  a spirit  of  independence  that  no  op- 
pression or  injustice  could  destroy,  and  by  a generous 
unstinted  and  almost  indiscriminate  hospitality.  They 
cherished  an  ardent  devotion  to  the  rights  of  the  State 
and  an  unfaltering  allegiance  to  its  authority.  They 
had  a chivalrous  courtesy,  and  an  extraordinary  defer- 
ence and  delicacy  in  their  intercourse  with  the  women 
of  their  country,  who  elicited  the  admiration  of  the 
world  by  their  intelligence  and  modesty  and  purity  and 
refinement  and  manifold  fascinations,  as  well  as  by  their 
capability  of  sacrifice  and  endurance  of  privation,  when 
their  country  demanded  forgetfulness  of  self,  and  forti- 
tude. Unfortunately,  some  of  the  splendid  traits  origin- 
ating with  and  inseparable  from  the  condition  of  the 
people  and  their  system  of  industry,  have  gone,  like  the 
clouds  Rachel  watched  by  Laban’s  well,  never  more  to  be 
seen  by  men. 

This  statue  erected  in  honor  of  the  Confederate  In- 
fantry, like  the  entire  structure,  is  not  only  petrified  his- 
tory, but  it  is  an  educational  institution  consecrated  to 
heroism.  It  inculcates  love  of  the  State,  and  shows  in 
what  estimation  they  are  held,  who  encounter  hardships 
and  dangers  for  the  liberty  and  power  and  glory  of  their 
country.  It  will  stimulate  youths  to  admire  and  to  culti- 
vate ennobling  attributes,  and  to  emulate,  if  they  may 


47 


not  surpass  the  famous  deeds  and  applauded  virtues  of 
their  ancestors.  None  understood  so  well  as  they,  the 
nature  and  limitations  of  our  governments,  both  .State 
and  Federal.  They  cheerfully  yielded  to  the  Union,  all 
of  its  constitutional  rights  and  powers,  and  were  in- 
tensely jealous  of  any  encroachment  by  the  general  gov- 
ernment upon  the  rights  of  the  States,  or  the  liberty  of 
the  citizens. 

Southern  Statesmanship  first  proposed  the  union  of 
the  States,  and  Southern  statesmanship  dissolved  the 
union  of  the  States.  It  had  been  formed  to  promote 
peace,  tranquility,  friendly  intercourse  and  the  general 
welfare  of  all  the  states, — and  when  it  failed  to  accom- 
plish these  objects,  the  reason  for  its  existence  ceased. 
When  Theramenes  was  reproached  for  the  destruction 
of  the  walls  of  Athens,  he  replied:  “Themistoeles  built 
the  walls  to  secure  the  rights  and  liberty  of  the  people, 
and  I pull  them  down  to  preserve  their  rights  and  lib- 
erty.'’ So,  the  Union  was  formed  to  advance  the  general 
welfare  of  all  the  States,  and  when  it  failed  to  achieve 
this  purpose,  the  Southern  States  seceded  from  the 
Union,  to  protect  their  rights  and  to  save  the  liberty  of 
their  people. 

The  Federal  Constitution,  denounced  by  fanatics  as 
“a  covenant  with  death  and  a league  with  Hell,”  had 
long  been  an  insuperable  obstacle  to  the  revolutionary 
schemes  of  what  was  the  dominant  party  in  18(10,  then 
delirious  with  success  and  maddened  by  sectional  hatred, 
but  that  instrument  had  also  been  the  means  of  safety 
and  power  to  the  Southern  people.  It  had  originated  with 
Southern  statesmen.  It  had  elicited  the  admiration  of 
the  civilized  world.  Under  its  provisions  the  Republic 
had  become  powerful.  Beneath  its  influence  the  South- 
ern States  had  flourished.  Their  benign  institutions  had 
developed  an  uncommon  manhood  which  was  greatly  dis- 
tinguished in  war  by  its  generalship,  and  in  peace  by  its 
control  of  public  affairs.  It  had  been  so  beneficial  to  the 
entire  country,  that  the  Southerners  especially  desired 
to  protect  its  principles  from  violation.  But  when  Lin- 
coln was  elected  President  by  a sectional  party,  Avhose 
popularity  was  in  proportion  to  its  animosity  to  them, 
they  apprehended  that  they  would  be  unable  to  do  so  ef- 
fectually in  the  Union.  They  preferred  the  Constitu- 
tion without  the  Union,  to  the  Union  without  the  Con- 
stitution. They  knew  that  the  Union,  unrestrained  by 


48 


the  organic  law,  would  be  a despotism  of  intolerable  op- 
pression. They  knew  also  that  the  principles  of  the  Con- 
stitution wherever  they  obtained,  and  were  obeyed,  se- 
cured the  rights  and  freedom  of  states  and  of  men. 
Therefore,  to  preserve  them,  they  dissolved  the  connec- 
tion of  the  Southern  States  with  the  Northern  States. 

Secession  was  conservative  of  the  Constitution  and 
was  a pacific  policy.  But  war  ensued  between  twenty- 
three  States  and  territories  remaining  in  the  Union,  and 
containing  22,733,223  inhabitants  and  eleven  States  that 
seceded  from  the  Union,  and  having  8,710,098  people,  of 
whom  3,520,S40  were  slaves;  between  2,859,132  Federal 
soldiers,  of  whom  186,017  were  negroes  (without  whom, 
says  Stanton,  “the  life  of  the  nation  could  not  have  been 
saved,”)  and  about  700,000  Confederate  soldiers;  be- 
tween commerce  and  manufactures  and  mining  and  fish- 
eries on  one  side,  and  agriculture  alone  on  the  other;  be- 
tween the  Union  with  its  lust  of  power  and  greed  of 
avarice  and  the  Constitution  with  its  beneficient  prin- 
ciples. 

Lieutenant  General  D.  H.  Hill  states  on  the  authority 
of  a German  author  that  there  were  187,000  Germans 
in  the  Federal  army.  “It  is  presumed  that  the  Irish  were 
as  numerous,  for  they  led  every  advance  and  covered 
every  retreat.”  There  were  in  the  Federal  army  also, 
Russians,  Austrians,  Hungarians,  Slavs,  Maygars,  Teu- 
tons, Scandinavians,  Englishmen,  Scotchmen,  French- 
men, Spaniards,  Portuguese,  Italians,  Canadians, 
Welshmen,  inhabitants  of  the  far-off  islands  of  the  sea, 
and  some  natives  of  the  Northern  States. 

The  unequal  contest  endured  for  four  3rears,  and  dur- 
ing that  time,  averted  from  us  the  evils  and  calamities 
that  were  inflicted  on  Missouri,  Kentucky  and  Mary- 
land, that  were  loyal  members  of  the  Union.  Those 
States  suffered  the  impoverishment  and  degradation 
and  all  the  ills  of  reconstruction  during  the  war,  which 
befell  us  after  the  surrender  of  the  armies  and  declara- 
tion of  peace.  Adherence  to  the  Union  did  not  shield 
those  States  from  the  wrongs,  insults  and  oppression, 
which  we  suffered  by  secession  and  adherence  to  the  Con- 
stitution. This  fact  alone,  if  none  other  existed,  illus- 
trates the  wisdom  and  justifies  the  policy  of  Southern 
Statesmen. 

The  war  was  sectional  in  form  but  the  principles  in- 


49 


volved  were  confined  to  no  section.  Lord  John  Russell 
said  “The  South  fought  for  independence;  the  North  for 
dominion.” 

The  proclamation  of  the  Federal  President,  calling  for 
seventy-five  thousand  men  to  sustain  the  authority  of 
the  Federal  Government,  was  received  by  us  with  de- 
rision. Then  from  the  mountains  to  the  sea,  from  the 
Potomac  to  the  Rio  Grande,  upon  every  wind  that  blew, 
rushed  the  Southern  men  to  arms.  Such  unanimity, 
such  enthusiasm,  such  eagerness  to  encounter  all  hard- 
ships and  dangers  had  seldom  been  witnessed  in  behalf 
of  any  cause,  or  principle  since  the  days  of  Peter  the 
Hermit.  They  soon  astounded  the  world  by  the  reck- 
lessness of  their  courage  and  the  splendor  of  their 
achievements. 

The  nations  stood  amazed.  The  Southerners  had  been 
regarded  by  their  friends  as  lawless,  and  proud  and  in- 
subordinate; and  had  been  represented  by  their  enemies 
• as  indolent,  pleasure-loving,  self-indulgent  and  deficient 
in  manliness.  But  when  the  hour  struck  which  demand- 
ed the  exertion  of  grand  qualities,  their  lawlessness  sub- 
mitted promptly  to  authority;  their  indolence  became 
intense  energy;  their  love  of  pleasure  found  its  chief 
gratification  in  the  defense  of  their  country;  their  self 
indulgence  was  transformed  into  rigorous  self  denial. 
And  they  soon  exhibited  to  the  wondering  gaze  of  the 
19th  century  the  finest  specimens  of  real,  true,  genuine 
manhood,  Christian  or  pagan,  the  world  had  ever  seen. 

Many  of  them  formed  a body  of  infantry  whose  char- 
acter and  achievements  had  been  rarely  paralleled  in 
the  annals  of  time.  No  attribute  of  heroism,  which  is 
next  to  Godliness,  was  wanting  to  them.  Their  intelli- 
gence and  political  education  enabled  them  to  compre- 
hend the  magnitude  of  the  conflict,  and  the  importance 
of  the  principles  involved.  To  this  knowledge  may  be 
ascribed  that  invincible  spirit  which  nothing  appalled. 
This  caused  their  unhesitating  submission  to  the  des- 
potic rule  of  the  army ; and  induced  them,  although  im- 
perfectly equipped  and  scantily  clad,  to  bear  without 
complaint,  cold  and  rain,  and  sunshine,  and  storms,  and 
sleet,  and  hunger  and  the  painful  fatigue  of  long  marches 
in  wearisome  campaigns,  and  disease,  and  wounds,  and 
death.  No  warriors  or  martyrs  in  the  history  of  the 
world  ever  displayed  a loftier  patriotism  or  sublimer 

4 


50 


spirit  or  self-immolation,  than  did  the  Confederate 
soldier.  Neither  the  lays  of  troubadours  in  courtly 
balls,  nor  rhyme  of  wandering  minstrels  described  char- 
acters more  peerless,  or  tell  of  sterner  fortitude,  or  more 
magnificent  courage.  These  might  well  inspire  elo- 
quence or  be  the  theme  of  song. 

But  they  possessed  other  characteristics,  no  less  ad- 
mirable. Their  love  of  country  was  as  broad  as  the  Con- 
federacy and  as  unselfish  as  a mother’s  love.  They  had  a 
conviction  of  the  righteousness  of  their  cause,  that  no 
doubt  ever  disturbed;  a faith  in  their  own  invincibility 
and  a confidence  in  their  officers  that  no  disaster  could 
diminish;  a manly  subordination  to  discipline,  and  a 
fidelity  in  the  discharge  of  duty  rarely  equalled;  a 
bravery  calm  as  peace  and  reckless  as  fire;  a patience 
that  willingly  suffered  frost  and  famine,  whose  fever 
gave  intensity  to  their  purpose,  and  tireless  vigils  in  long 
sieges,  accompanied  by  the  bursting  of  bomb  shells  and 
incessant  rattle  of  musketry  day  time  and  night  time, 
through  many  tedious  months.  But  it  was  in  the  for- 
lorn hope;  in  the  desperate  assault  upon  the  enemy’s 
works;  in  the  steady  movement  on  his  lines,  or  in  the 
dashing  charge  against  his  guns  in  the  open  field  that 
their  nature  most  appeared.  Then  qualities  which,  like 
the  characters  on  the  sword  of  the  Icelandic  chieftain, 
were  invisible  in  repose,  like  them,  too,  in  battle  and 
deadly  peril,  gleamed  and  glowed  with  a terrifying  re- 
splendence, and  often  obtained  even  in  defeat,  the  ap- 
plause our  enemies  won  only  by  success.  Neither  vic- 
tory nor  disaster  could  materially  affect  the  fame  of  this 
incomparable  infantry.  It  did  not  change  its  virtues 
because  Fortune  changed  her  face. 

These  are  some  of  the  traits  of  the  men,  whose  lives 
were  as  thickly  strewn  with  battles,  as  the  graves  of  their 
comrades  are  strewn  with  flowers  in  Spring.  They  were 
displayed  by  this  matchless  soldiery,  when  it  starved  in 
the  trenches  at  Vicksburg;  or  besieged  Cumberland 
Gap;  or  climbed  the  hills  of  Chiekamauga;  or  stormed 
the  breastworks  at  Franklin;  or  assaulted  the  fortifica- 
tions about  Knoxville;  or  opposed  the  beleaguering 
forces  at  Charleston;  or  carried  the  Federal  works  at 
Drewry’s  Bluff;  or  held  the  lines  around  Petersburgh 
and  Richmond;  or  stood  immovable  at  Spottsvlvania ; 
or  repelled  the  invaders  at  Fredericksburg;  or  drove 


them  to  the  music  of  the  “Rebel  Yell”  from  the  field  at 
Cliaiicellorsville ; or  charged  the  heights  at  Gettysburg ; 
and  in  all  of  the  two  thousand  two  hundred  and  sixty- 
one  battles  in  which  we  fought  for  Southern  indepen- 
dence and  constitutional  liberty. 

Of  this  renowned  army,  the  State  of  Alabama  fur- 
nished one  hundred  and  twenty- two  thousand  men,  as 
brave  as  any  that  ever  followed  the  banner  of  any  cause. 
Of  them  thirty-five  thousand  returned  never  more  to 
their  homes.  Some  of  them  repose  in  graves,  marked 
“Unknown,”  in  distant  cemeteries.  The  remains  of  oth- 
ers are  scattered  on  every  mountain  height  and  plain ; 
upon  every  hill-top  and  valley  from  Gettysburg  to  where 
the  Mississippi  rolls  its  multitudinous  waters  to  the  sea, 

‘ And  ’mid  the  green  boughs,  marked  by  no  carved  stone, 

Their  unremembered  bones  do  waste  away. 

In  dew  and  rain,  and  sunshine,  day  by  day.” 

To  them  and  their  comrades,  known  and  unknown, 
on  land  and  sea,  their  grateful  and  bereaved  countrymen 
have  erected,  and  now  dedicate  this  monument, — 

■‘But  some  day  before  his  throne, 

We  will  find  where  God’s  angels  dwell, 

They  are  no  more  unknown  ” 

And  there,  when  amid  the  resplendent  glories  of  the 
supernal  world  shall  be  called  the  roll  of  the  mighty  and 
renowned  men  who  suffered  and  fought  and  died  for  lib- 
erty and  tlie  advancement  of  mankind,  every  Confeder- 
ate soldier,  unrepentant  and  unabashed,  shall  answer : 
“I  am  here.” 

General  Sanford  was  the  fitting  escort  of  Miss  C.  T. 
Raoul,  who  fired  the  first  gun  that  proclaimed  the  seces- 
sion of  Alabama.  While  cheers  rent  the  air,  leaning  on 
the  arm  of  the  General,  Miss  Raoul  ascended  the  steps 
leading  to  the  statue  of  the  infantryman,  representing 
the  branch  of  the  service  so  eloquently  word-painted, 
and  touching  the  cord  that  held  the  veil,  after  a grace- 
fully improvised  apostrophe  to  the  crowned  hero  in 
stone,  this  lady  of  many  talents  recited  her  own  fine  lines 
that  are  inscribed  under  the  statue  that  stood  revealed: 

‘‘Fame’s  temple  boasts  no  higher  name, 

No  king  is  grander  on  his  throne. 

No  glory  shines  with  brighler  gleam. 

The  name  of  Patriot  stands  alone.” 


►Softly  then,  the  band  played  the  sad,  sweet  song,  “My 
Maryland/’  and  Capt.  B.  H.  Screws  was  presented  duly. 

He  spoke  as  follows : 

“.17/-.  Chairman , Ladies  and  Gentlemen: 

Those  who  followed  glorious  young  Pelham,  that  true 
son  of  thunder  and  1ns  terrible  artillery  over  the  hills 
and  through  the  valleys  of  Virginia,  or  went  with  Pick- 
ett and  Kemper  and  Armstead  up  against  the  hurricane 
of  tire,  lead  and  iron,  on  Round  Top,  need  no  monumen- 
tal marble,  to  recall  the  memories  of  that  thrilling  era; 
and  those  who  through  the  long  and  bloody  hours  hurled 
themselves  against  the  merciless  batteries  of  Rosecrans 
on  the  awful  field  of  Chickamauga,  withstood  the  earth- 
quake throes  of  Missionary  Ridge  and  Kennesaw,  or  en- 
gaged in  the  death  grapple  at  Franklin,  where  the  war- 
gods  seemed  to  scorn  to  use  Jove’s  counterfeit,  and 
hurled  the  genuine  bolts,  need  no  lettered  sculpture  to 
remind  them  of  that  struggle  of  giants.  Followers  of 
Lee  and  Jackson,  of  Johnston  and  Hood,  of  Stewart  and 
Forrest,  and  Pelham,  and  Semple,  and  Rodes,  and  Lo- 
max, Clanton,  Holtzclaw,  Wheeler,  Goldthwaite  and 
Clayton,  your  memories  need  no  refreshing.  This  monu- 
ment, these  figures,  that  mute  suggestion  of  the  dread 
artillery,  of  the  grape  whose  iron  clusters  grew  so  luxur- 
iantly along  the  ravines  and  mountain  sides  of  Virginia 
and  Georgia,  of  Tennessee  and  Kentucky,  and  even  from 
Gettysburg  to  the  Rio  Grande,  and  whose  juice  was  the 
red  blood  of  heroes;  that  sleeping  cannon,  recalling  the 
matchless  valor  of  the  old  South,  of  the  young  Confed- 
eracy, and  reviving  memories  of  the  days  and  nights  of 
unyielding  defiance,  when  towns  and  cities  were  awak- 
ened by  the  terrible  music  of  the  bursting  bomb,  when 
grain  fields  were  trampled  by  the  hoofs  of  the  invader, 
and  made  red  with  the  blood  of  your  countrymen,  all 
this,  is  but  to  remind  those  who  come  after  us,  even  the 
generation  yet  to  emerge  from  the  stream  of  time,  of  the 
race  from  which  they  sprung. 

Alabama's  record  during  the  great  war  between  the 
States,  the  most  stupendous,  the  most  stubborn,  and  the 
most  chivalric  conflict  in  all  the  chronicles  of  time,  the 
brilliant,  dazzling,  unrivalled  deeds  of  her  heroic  sons, 
the  deathless  patriotism  and  sublime  submission  to  pri- 
vations and  hardships  of  her  peerless  daughters,  consti- 
tute the  brightest  diadem  in  the  crown  of  Alabama’s 


53 


wondrous  glory.  It  would  require  the  master  mind  of 
him  who  portrayed  the  march  of  the  rebel  angels  across 
the  north  plains  of  Heaven,  to  tell,  in  fitting  verse,  of  all 
they  did  and  dared.  Then  how  inexpressibly  dear  to  us 
should  be  the  memories  of  our  Confederacy.  It  sank  in 
sorrow,  but  not  in  shame,  and  far,  O!  far  distant,  be  the 
time  when  we  shall  cease  to  cherish  these  proud,  though 
melancholy  recollections. 

The  Ladies’  Memorial  Association  of  Montgomery, 
Heaven  bless  them ! for  more  than  twelve  years,  with  un- 
abating zeal,  with  ceaseless  energy  and  perseverance, 
overcoming  gigantic  obstacles  with  apparent  ease,  have 
labored  for  the  consummation  of  this  holy  purpose. 
Their  work  is  finished,  the  monument  is  completed.  And 
now, above  all  others,  the  survivors  of  that  period  of  cour- 
age, of  chivalry  and  of  carnage,  wish  them  to  be  forever 
assured  that  their  gentle  and  devoted  remembrance  of 
the  dead  Confederate  soldier,  touches  deeply  and  falls 
gratefully  upon  the  hearts  of  the  comparatively  few 
Confederate  survivors,  and  we  wish  the  passing  stranger, 
indeed,  all  the  wide  world,  to  forget  not  that  the  first 
stone  of  this  monumental  pile  was  placed  in  position  by 
the  unsullied  hand  of  the  golden-hearted  Cliief  of  the 
Confederacy — peerless,  immortal  Davis,  out  upon  the 
shoreless  ocean,  his  bark  has  drifted,  and  we  shall  see 
him  no  more  with  our  mortal  eyes,  yet 

“Millions  unborn  his  mighty  na>ne  shall  sound, 

And  worlds  applaud  which  must  not  yet  be  found.” 

We  wish  that  whosoever  in  all  coming  time  shall  turn 
his  eye  hitherto,  may  behold  that  the  place  is  not  undis- 
tinguished where  young  Liberty  was  cradled,  where  the 
Confederacy  was  born,  where  the  atmosphere  all  the  year 
round  is  perfumed  with  the  sad,  proud  memories  of 
1861.  We  wish  that  this  monument  may  proclaim  the 
magnitude  and  importance  and  grandeur  and  justice  of 
that  event  to  every  class  and  every  age;  we  wish  that  in- 
fancy may  learn  the  purposes  of  this  erection,  from  ma- 
ternal lips,  and  that  weary  and  withered  age  may  behold 
it,  and  be  solaced  by  the  recollections  which  it  suggests. 
We  wish  that  Labor  may  look  up  here,  and  be  proud  in 
the  midst  of  its  toil. 

Let  the  stilled  cannon  sleep  on  through  the  ages, 
faithful  reminder  of  a generation  of  men  the  like  of 
which  we  ne’er  shall  see  again.  Let  this  monument 


54 


stand,  not  a record  of  civil  strife,  for  this  great  country, 
let  us  hope,  is  sincerely  re-united;  let  it  stand  as  a per- 
petual protest  against  whatever  is  low  and  sordid  in  all 
our  public  and  private  objects.  Let  it  stand  for  rebuke 
and  censure,  if  our  people  should  ever  fall  below  the 
standard  of  their  Confederate  fathers.  Let  this  still 
solemn  testimonial,  dedicated  to  the  memory  of 
brave  men,  of  genuine  patriots,  continue  through  all 
time  to  meet  the  sun  in  his  coming;  may  the  earliest  rays 
of  the  morning  glorify  and  gild  it,  and  parting  day  lin- 
ger and  play  upon  its  summit. 

And  in  this  presence,  at  the  base  of  this  monument, 
how  shall  I struggle  with  the  emotions  that  stifle  the  ut- 
terance of  thy  name,  thou  sainted  Sophie  Bibb/  the  min- 
istering angel  of  the  sick  and  wounded  Confederate,  the 
genius  of  this  movement,  the  inspiration  of  Memorial 
Associations.  Our  poor  work  may  perish,  but  thine 
shall  endure.  This  monument  may  moulder  away;  the 
solid  ground  it  rests  upon  may  sink  down  to  a level  with 
the  sea;  hut  thy  memory  shall  not  fail.  Wheresoever 
among  men  a heart  shall  be  found  that  heats  to  the  trans- 
ports of  patriotism  and  liberty,  its  aspirations  shall  he 
to  claim  kindred  with  thy  spirit.  How  sweetly,  how 
tenderly,  shall  we  cherish  thy  memory,  thou  glorious 
daughter  of  Alabama  ! 

Now,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  permit  me  to  discharge 
the  most  pleasing  part  of  my  duty  upon  this  occasion; 
to  present  the  accomplished  daughter  of  a noble  mother, 
whose  name  is  revered  in  every  Confederate  camp  and 
venerated  by  every  Confederate  survivor,  the  incense 
from  whose  gentle  and  untiring  attentions  to  the  sick 
and  wounded,  during  those  long  and  eventful  years,  lias 
risen  with  benedictions  and  blessings  to  the  great  white 
throne  on  high.  The  daughter  inheriting  the  mother’s 
magnificent  traits  of  character,  also  embodies  within 
herself  all  those  charming  and  exalted  qualities  which 
are  the  pride  and  boast  of  every  Southern  gentleman — 
the  noblest  thing  on  earth,  a perfect  woman,  Miss  Lena 
Hausman.” 

Prom  the  first  to  the  last  word,  the  vast  audience  hung 
entranced  on  every  utterance  of  one  whose  command  of 
language  is  equalled  by  few  and  surpassed  by  none,  as 
fresh  from  the  hot  heart  he  pours  forth  prose- 
poems  unrivalled  in  the  portrayal  of  the  bril- 


55 


liant  deeds  of  tlie  sons  of  the  South,  and  tells 
his  love  for  the  jasmine-bowered  land  of  his 
birth,  and  admiration  for  the  peerless  women  of  a 
time  his  words  have  helped  to  make  immortal.  Laying  a 
rich  wreath  of  words  at  the  feet  of  Mrs.  C.  J.  Hausman, 
one  of  the  untiring  heroines  who  had  wrought  through 
all  these  years  for  this  realization  of  innocent  hopes, 
nurtured  iu  the  hearts  of  geutle  comrades,  long  since 
fallen  asleep,  he  introduced  the  graceful  Miss  Lena 
Hausman,*  whose  dignity  of  presence  and  clear-cut  enun- 
ciation was  fitly  emblematic  of  the  service  she  was 
chosen  to  honor.  Repeating  the  couplet  for  the  crown 
in  g: 

•‘The  deathless  green  long  set  apart 
For  crowns,  sprang  from  a hero’s  heart — ” 

She  then  released  the  drapery,  revealed  the  statue  of 
Artillery,  and  recited  the  inscription  on  the  pedestal, 
which  was  written  by  Mrs.  I.  M.  Porter  Ockenden : 

“When  this  historic  shaft  shall  crumbling  lie, 

In  ages  hence  in  woman’s  heart  shall  be, 

A folded  flag,  a thrilling  page  unrolled, 

A deathless  song  of  Southern  chivalry.” 

Appropriately  came  “Tenting  on  the  Old  Camp- 
Ground,”  beautifully  rendered  by  Powell's  Quartette,  in 
their  usual  perfect  style.  The  touching  strains,  from 
four  splendid  singers,  most  fittingly  preceded  the  intro- 
duction of  the  hero  of  many  battles,  who  has  been  hon- 
ored by  the  nation  as  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  of  the 
United  States,  Hon.  LI.  A.  Herbert,  proudly  claimed  by 
Alabama  as  her  own.  Who  could  tell  so  well  the  thrill- 
ing story  of  the  Navy  of  the  Confederate  Seas ! The  Con- 
federate soldier  came  gladly  to  his  old  home  to  pay  tithe 
of  golden  memories  to  the  Confederate  sailor.  Old 
friends  with  kind  and  true  hearts  gave  him  the  hand- 
clasp of  “Auld  Lang  Syne.” 

Mr.  Herbert  said : 

“ Ladies  and  Gentlemen  and  Ladies  of  the  Memorial  As- 
sociation : 

I thank  you  ladies  for  the  opportunity  given  to  me,  a 
Confederate  soldier,  to  say  a few  words  for  the  Confed- 
erate sailor.  A simple  recital  of  the  circumstances  by 
which  our  sailors  were  surrounded  and  mention  of  a few 
only  of  their  achievements  will  be  more  eloquent  than 
any  eulogy  I could  pronounce. 


56 


When  the  Confederacy  was  born  on  this  hill  in  1861, 
it  had  in  a few  days  a Secretary  of  the  Navy,  a broad- 
minded, far-seeing,  resourceful  statesman,  Stephen  F. 
Mallory;  it  soon  had  many  able  naval  officers,  officers 
who  had  parted  in  tears  from  their  comrades  in  the  old 
navy  to  follow  the  call  of  duty.  But  the  new  govern- 
ment had  not  a naval  vessel  for  its  naval  officers  to  com- 
mand, not  a merchant  vessel  that  could  be  changed  into 
an  efficient  man  of  war,  no  ship  yard,  save  one  at  New 
Orleans,  and  that  li'ad  never  built  or  attempted  to  build 
a naval  vessel ; no  shop  that  could  build  an  engine  com- 
plete, no  foundry  that  could  cast  a large  sized  cannon 
or  a cannon  ball.  The  Federal  government  had  its  naval 
vessels,  afloat  on  every  sea,  it  had  numerous  shipyards, 
foundries,  machinists  and  machine  shops;  it  had  ports 
open  to  the  world,  it  had  the  shipping  that  did  our  vast 
coastwise  trade,  and  the  sails  of  its  merchantmen  whit- 
ened all  the  great  waters  of  the  habitable  globe. 

All  its  vessels  could  be  utilized;  there  were  sailors  to 
man  them.  The  task  of  the  Federal  government  was, 
with  the  vast  fleets  it  could  command  to  blockade  our 
ports,  to  permeate  the  rivers  that  ran  through  our  land, 
to  aid  its  own  armies  and  protect  their  lines  of  supply, 
to  cut  communications  between  Confederate  armies  and 
destroy  Confederate  depots  of  supply.  The  water  was 
the  weak  point  of  the  Confederacy;  it  was  the  opportun- 
ity of  the  Federal  government. 

The  task  before  the  Navy  Department  of  the  Confeder- 
acy seemed  utterly  hopeless,  but  true  courage  never  de- 
spairs. What  was  accomplished,  if  I had  time  to  tell 
it  all,  would  sound  like  a tale  of  fairy  land.  Confeder- 
ate genius  seemed  to  have  discovered  anew  the  Lamp  of 
Aladdin. 

When  Virginia  added  herself  to  the  Confederacy  she 
brought  with  her  the  Tredegar  Iron  Works,  which  had 
never  cast  a large  gun,  had  never  made  a naval  engine, 
but  had  a plant  which  was  a foundation  on  which  to 
build.  Virginia  brought  also  the  Norfolk  Navy  Yard, 
which  was  a construction  yard,  but  the  few  ships  at  the 
Norfolk  yard  which  could  not  be  carried  away,  had 
been  burned,  or  scuttled  and  sunk.  And  yet  in  less  than 
eleven  months,  the  Confederate  navy  astonished  the 
world.  The  sunken  Merrimac,  now  the  Virginia,  had 
been  raised,  covered  with  deflective  armor  and  on  new 


57 


lines  reconstructed  into  the  grandest  fighting  machine 
that  up  to  that  day  had  ever  fired  a gun  in  battle. 

On  March  8,  1802,  the  Virginia  appeared  in  Hampton 
Roads,  and  with  her  ten  guns  confronted  the  Minnesota, 
the  St.  Lawrence,  the  Roanoke,  the  Congress  and  the 
Cumberland,  mounting  altogether  174  guns.  The  Con- 
gress and  the  Cumberland  were  destroyed  and  every 
other  vessel  that  could,  sought  safety  in  flight. 

That  was  a glorious  day  for  the  new  navy  of  the  Con- 
federacy and  a glorious  day  too  it  was  for  the  old  navy 
of  the  United  States.  As  the  Cumberland  Avent  down  in 
the  unequal  contest,  the  Stars  and  Stripes  still  floated 
from  her  mast,  and  her  guns  still  thundered  and  sent 
their  useless  missiles  against  the  impenetrable  sides  of 
the  Virginia  until  they  were  enveloped  in  the  water. 

While  dedicating  this  monument,  which  is  to  tell  fu- 
ture generations  the  story  of  Confederate  valor,  let  us  as 
we  recall  the  memories  of  that  combat,  recall  also  the 
fact  that  all  who  are  entitled  to  share  in  the  glories  of 
that  day  are  our  countrymen.  Buchanan  and  Catesby, 
Jones  and  Littlepage  and  others  who  fought  the  Vir- 
ginia, and  the  gallant  officers  and  men  of  the  Congress 
and  the  Cumberland — they  were  Americans  all  and  the 
memory  of  the  illustrious  deeds  of  the  8th  of  March, 
1862,  is  the  common  heritage  of  what  is  now  our  com- 
mon country. 

On  the  9th  was  the  fight  between  the  Virginia  and  the 
Monitor,  a drawn  battle,  but  in  its  results  one  of  the 
most  decisive  naval  contests  in  history.  That  battle, 
coupled  with  the  battle  of  the  day  before,  which  showed 
that  no  unarmored  could  stand  before  an  armored  ves- 
sel, decided  the  construction  of  future  navies. 

Instantly  workshops  all  over  the  world  resounded 
with  the  work  of  building  new  navies  with  deflective  ar- 
mor, high  power  guns,  improved  machinery.  But  when 
we  trace  effect  to  cause,  it  was  not  the  battle  between 
the  Virginia  and  the  Monitor  that  begat  modern  navies , 
that  was  but  a link  in  the  chain  of  causation;  it  was  the 
Virginia  that  begat  the  Monitor. 

The  Navy  Department  at  Washington  only  listened  to 
and  adopted  the  plans  of  Ericsson  for  the  Monitor,  when 
repeated  reports  from  Norfolk  showed  that  the  Virginia 
with  her  deflected  armor  was  under  way  and  that  in  all 
probability  nothing  could  meet  her  but  another  ship  with 


58 


deflective  armor.  One  experiment  begat  another,  one 
success  was  met  with  another.  So  it  is,  my  countrymen, 
that  in  the  genius  of  Confederate  naval  officers  is  found 
the  germ  of  the  Naval  armaments  that  now  attract  the 
wonder  of  the  world. 

The  Virginia  was  not  the  only  marvel  wrought  by 
Confederate  constructors.  There  were  the  Louisiana, 
the  Mississippi,  the  Arkansas,  the  Albemarle  and  others. 
The  Albemarle  was  built  in  a corn  field  in  North  Caro- 
lina, out  of  timber  some  of  which  was  standing  whip 
she  was  started,  and  of  iron  that  was  hunted  up,  here, 
there  and  everywhere.  The  Albemarle  went  down  the 
sound,  encountered  a fleet  of  six  vessels  off  Plymouth, 
sank  one  of  them,  the  Southfield,  drove  the  others  away 
and  aided  the  Confederate  on  land  to  recapture  Plym- 
outh. At  another  time  the  Albemarle  fought  a drawn 
battle  against  nine  gunboats  of  the  enemy.  Eventually 
it  was  her  fate  to  be  destroyed  in  the  night  time  by  the 
almost  superhuman  daring  of  Lieutenant  Cushing  of  the 
United  States  Navy.  The  Arkansas  with  all  her  guns 
ablaze  at  the  same  time,  three  on  each  side,  two  forward 
and  two  aft,  perhaps  the  only  vessel  that  ever  made  a 
successful  fire  in  four  directions  at  once,  ran  through 
the  whole  fleets  of  Farragut  and  Davis  and  reached 
Vicksburg  in  safety.  The  Tennessee  was  built  on  the 
banks  of  the  Alabama  river  at  Selma,  and  who  is  there 
that  does  not  know  of  her  brave  fight  against  Farragut’s 
whole  fleet  after  it  had  passed  the  fortifications  at  the 
mouth  of  Mobile  Bay?  • 

If  it  had  been  possible  for  courage  and  genius  to  win, 
with  the  resources  at  command,  the  Confederate  would 
have  whipped  the  fight  upon  the  water,  but  the  task  was 
superhuman.  We  were  not  fighting  Spaniards  then,  but 
men  of  our  own  blood,  and  the  odds  against  us  were  too 
great. 

In  the  United  States  Home  Squadron  and  Potomac 
flotilla  alone,  there  were  99  ships  at  once.  The  Federal 
vessels  in  our  western  rivers  were  almost  without  num 
ber.  The  Confederate  fighting  ships,  one  after  another, 
were  destroyed,  many  of  them  as  they  were  nearing  com- 
pletion. So  successfully  were  we  building  ships  at  New 
Orleans,  that  Admiral  Porter,  in  his  naval  history,  ex- 
presses the  opinion  that  if  Farragut  had  been  three 
months  later  we  should  have  driven  the  Federal  fleets 


59 


north,  raised  the  blockade  and  secured  from  European 
governments  recognition  of  the  independence  of  the  Con- 
federacy. 

In  another  branch  of  naval  warfare  the  genius  of  Con- 
federate naval  officers  was  similarly  conspicuous.  They 
developed  the  use  of  the  torpedo  to  an  extent  never  be- 
fore dreamed  of.  More  than  forty  United  States  vessels 
were  badly  injured  or  totally  destroyed  by  this  weapon. 
There  is  no  better  illustration  of  Confederate  devotion 
and  daring  than  the  history  of  the  “Fish,”  a little  sub- 
marine torpedo  boat,  that  was  built  at  Mobile.  There, 
in  the  first  experiment,  the  little  craft  failed  to  rise  and 
buried  her  crew  of  eight  in  the  waters.  The  “Fish”  was 
raised  and  taken  to  Charleston.  Another  crew  of  nine 
went  down  with  her  and  only  one  escaped.  There  were 
volunteers  again  and  the  third  crew  went  down,  only 
three  escaping.  Still  there  were  volunteers;  a fourth 
time  the  little  boat  went  down  and  failed  to  rise.  Still 
another  crew  volunteered  and  all  were  drowned.  Out  of 
five  crews  of  eight  men  each,  all  but  foui*  men  had  been 
lost,  but  the  spirit  of  the  Confederates  was  not  yet 
daunted. 

Lieut.  Geo.  E.  Dixon  of  the  Twenty-first  Alabama  In- 
fantry, begged  to  be  allowed  to  take  out  the  “Fish”  to  at- 
tack the  iron-clad  Housatonic  that  lay  off  Charlestofi 
harbor.  Beauregard  consented,  but  only  on  condition 
that  the  boat  should  not  go  under  water.  The  conditions 
were  accepted;  the  Housatonic  was  destroyed,  but  Dixon 
and  all  his  brave  crew  went  down  to  rise  no  more. 

When  wrecks  in  Charleston  harbor  were  being  de- 
stroyed, after  the  close  of  the  civil  war,  near  the  Housa- 
tonic lay  the  “Fish.”  In  it  were  the  skeletons  of  Dixon 
and  his  six  companions,  every  man  at  his  post. 

In  that  other  field  of  naval  warfare,  the  destruction 
of  an  enemy’s  commerce,  Confederate  genius  was  also 
resplendent.  We  had  but  few  cruisers  afloat ; more  than 
fifty  vessels  were  searching  for  them;  they  had  no  port 
of  refuge;  their  own  ports  were  blockaded  and  yet  the 
Geneva  Commission  found  that  three  of  these  cruisers 
had  destroyed  ships  and  cargoes  of  the  value  of  $15,000,- 
000.  Maffitt  in  the  Florida,  and  Semmes  in  the  Ala- 
bama, won  immortal  fame,  and  the  exploits  of  Waddell 
in  the  Shenandoah  will  ever  be  remembered  with  admira- 
tion. 


60 


When  the  flag  of  the  new  nation  was  furled  forever 
ui)on  land,  the  Shenandoah  was  far  off  in  the  Northern 
Pacific  among  American  whalers  and  the  last  gun  for 
the  Confederacy  was  fired  from  her  deck  June  22d,  1865. 
The  Shenandoah  found  her  way  to  a British  port  and 
surrendered  to  a British  Admiral,  Nov.  6th,  1865. 

To  sum  up  the  history  of  the  Confederate  Navy  it  is 
an  almost  unbroken  record  of  energy  and  devotion  and 
genius,  making  a brave  struggle  and  often  almost  on  the 
point  of  succeeding  against  odds  that  were  absolutely 
overwhelming. 

We  build  monuments  to  heroes,  prompted  by  the 
noblest  impulses  of  the  human  heart,  and  that  future 
generations  may  imitate  their  example.  In  performing 
our  sacred  duties  today  let  Alabamians  rejoice  that,  as 
Alabama  in  the  civil  war  gave  Dixon  and  Semmes  and 
thousands  of  other  brave  men  to  the  Confederacy,  so 
now  in  our  war  with  Spain  she  has  given  Richmond 
Pearson  Hobson  to  the  navy  and  Joseph  Wheeler  to  the 
army  of  the  United  States.” 

At  the  conclusion  of  his  speech,  so  loyal  to  the  past 
and  to  the  present,  containing  startling  facts  for  his- 
tory, Miss  Janie  Eddins  Watts,  grand  daughter  of  War- 
Governor  W atts,  ( who  was  also  the  warm  friend  of  Col. 
Herbert,)  was  introduced  in  a short  tribute  to  the  worth 
of  her  noble  sires  and  patriotic  grandmothers,  as  most 
fitly  chosen  for  the  occasion.  As  she  recited  the  follow- 
ing couplet,  the  crowned  figure  was  revealed : 

“The  leaf  that  wreathes  the  nation’s  bier 

Wears  the  white  lustre  of  a tear.” 

The  statue  stood  unveiled  and  the  anonymous  lines 
carved  on  the  pedestal  were  repeated  in  tones  of  tremu- 
lous sweetness : 

“the  seamen  of  Confederate  fame 
Startled  the  wondering  world  ; 

For  braver  fight  was  never  fought, 

And  fairer  flag  was  never  furled.” 

The  band  gave  a superb  rendition  of  “La  Marsellaise,” 
which  thrilled  all  hearts  with  its  inspiring  strains. 

The  Chairman  then  introduced  Major  J.  M.  Falkner, 
who  was  the  choice  of  the  ladies  to  speak  for  the  cavalry 
man.  An  eye-witness  and  participant  in  many  a thrill- 
ing event  in  the  lives  of  the  men  of  flashing  blade  and 
knightly  plume,  Major  Falkner  brought  to  the  eulogy,  a 


61 


well-stored  memory,  an  eloquent  management  of  facts 
and  figures,  and  a heart  full  of  intense  admiration  for 
the  peerless  cavalrymen  who  were  likewise  the  finest 
horsemen  of  the  world.  Having  followed  General 
Wheeler  in  his  fearless  ride  of  four  long  years,  he  spoke 
whereof  he  knew.  He  said : 

“ Ladies  and  Gentlemen: 

It  was  an  inspiration  on  the  part  of  the  good  women  of 
the  Ladies’  Memorial  Association  in  selecting  granite  for 
the  statues  representing  the  different  arms  of  the  Con- 
federate service;  nothing  else  could  so  truly  represent 
the  courage,  the  firmness  of  purpose,  the  stability  and 
the  determination  to  dare  all  things  in  defense  of  a 
cause  which  they  believed  to  be  just,  and  in  behalf  of 
which  they  risked  all  they  had  or  hoped  for  in  this  life. 
While  this  granite  shall  last,  the  history  of  their  un- 
flinching courage  will  not  die. 

I can  only  speak  of  the  men  who  came  under  my  own 
observation,  and  of  the  things  that  I saw  myself,  and, 
therefore,  will  have  to  content  myself  in  what  little  I 
have  to  say,  chiefly  with  a recital  of  the  operations  of 
Wheeler's  Cavalry,  having  been  with  it  from  its  organi- 
zation until  the  end  of  the  war. 

It  may  be  interesting  to  some  of  you  to  know  that  the 
very  first  cavalry  attached  to  what  was  afterwards 
known  as  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee,  were  from  Ala- 
bama. These  consisted  of  two  companies,  one  com- 
manded by  Capt.  Bowie,  of  Talladega,  and  one  com- 
manded by  my  father,  then  Capt.  Jefferson  Falkner. 
These  companies  were  really  ordered  out  to  be  sent  to 
Ben  McCullough  in  Missouri,  but  at  the  request  of  Gen. 
Polk,  the  orders  were  countermanded  by  the  War  De- 
partment, and  we  were  stopped  in  transit  at  Corinth, 
Miss.,  and  a few  days  afterwards  we  went  to  Union  City, 
Tenn.,  where  we  were  soon  joined  by  a cavalry  company 
commanded  by  Capt.  Cole,  of  Louisiana.  We  remained 
at  Union  City,  at  which  point  several  regiments  of  infan- 
try and  several  batteries  of  artillery  were  camped,  until 
the  Federal  government  sent  a gun  boat  as  far  south  as 
Hickman,  on  the  Mississippi  river,  thus  disregarding  the 
neutrality  of  Kentucky;  we  then  moved  to  Columbus, 
Kyi,  the  cavalry  moving  ahead  of  the  trains,  protecting 
bridges,  etc.  So  far  as  I now  remember,  these  three  com- 


62 


panies  were  the  only  cavalry  I saw  until  about  the  time 
of  the  occupation  of  Columbus,  Ky.,  at  which  point  other 
companies  and  battalions  were  added  from  time  to  time. 

Since  the  days  of  the  Krag- Jorgensen  rifle  and  the 
Mauser  rifle,  it  has  been  said  that  the  whole  plan  of  fight- 
ing must  be  changed;  that  the  distance  between  combat- 
ants must  be  greater  than  heretofore,  and  that  we  would 
have  battles  taking  place  where  the  distance  between 
contending  forces  is  a thousand  yards  or  more. 

What  would  you  think  of  a body  of  cavalry  today,  go- 
ing out  armed  only  with  muzzle-loading  shot  guns  and 
pistols  and  sabres,  to  contend  against  cavalry  armed 
with  Krag- Jorgensen  or  Mauser  carbines?  It  must  not 
be  forgotten  that  in  1861  the  Federal  Cavalry  were 
armed  with  the  Burnside  carbine  and  Maynard  carbine, 
and  the  Colt’s  repeating  rifle,  either  of  which  was  cap- 
able of  killing  a man  more  than  a mile  distant;  and  yet 
the  majority  of  the  Confederate  cavalry,  in  the  begin- 
ning, were  armed  only  with  muzzle  loading  shot  guns, 
only  a very  few  of  them  having  pistols  and  sabres  in  ad- 
dition. Yet,  with  these  crude  weapons  the  Confederate 
cavalry  did  not  hesitate  to  face  the  superbly  equipped 
Federal  cavalry.  Knowing  that  they  stood  no  chance 
whatever  at  long  range  they  adopted  at  once  the  tactics 
of  hurling  themselves  into  the  midst  of  the  enemy  and 
making  the  fight  as  sharp  and  swift  as  it  was  possible  to 
do  it.  By  this  method  of  fighting  we  found  that  there 
were  few  weapons  more  effective  at  short  range  than  a 
double  barreled  shot  gun  loaded  with  buckshot.  It  must 
not  be  forgotten  that  every  Confederate  cavalryman  had 
to  furnish  his  own  horse,  bridle  and  saddle,  and  keep 
himself  mounted  during  the  term  of  his  service.  The 
Confederate  government  furnished  none  of  these  things. 
When  one  of  our  horses  was  killed  there  was  no  market 
so  inviting  as  the  camp  of  the  enemy,  and  there  were  few 
dark,  rainy  nights  in  which  some  Confederate  trooper 
did  not  furnish  himself  a mount  from  the  camp  of  the 
enemy.  And  I believe  it  can  be  said  without  successful 
contradiction,  that  when  the  war  closed  in  1865,  more 
than  50  per  cent,  of  the  arms,  accoutrement  and  equip- 
ment generally,  of  the  Confederate  cavalry  bore  the  im- 
print of  the  United  States. 

These  men  performed  the  severest  duties.  Exposed  to 
all  kinds  of  weather,  always  moving;  without  exaggera- 


63 


tion,  there  was  scarcely  a pig  path  between  the  Tennes- 
see and  Mississippi  rivers,  from  Cairo,  111.,  to  Corinth, 
Miss.,  that  was  not  traversed  by  the  small  bands  of  cav- 
alry then  connected  with  the  army,  locating  the  enemy, 
ascertaining  promptly  every  move  that  was  made,  and 
not  a movement  of  our  own  army  was  made  without  the 
presence  of  this  cavalry,  always  leading  the  advance,  and 
covering  the  retreat  of  our  army.  They  were  in  hundreds 
of  engagements  where  men  were  killed,  of  which  no  men- 
tion is  made  in  history,  but  in  which  engagements,  as 
heroic  deeds  were  performed  as  any  of  those  ever  chron- 
icled in  song  or  story.  In  the  general  engagements,  as  a 
rule,  the  cavalry  were  upon  the  flanks  of  our  army,  and 
on  many  occasions  assaults  were  made  with  a view  of 
turning  our  flanks,  and  the  cavalry,  both  on  foot  and  on 
horse,  would  contest  with  the  enemy  every  inch  of 
ground,  and  history  fails  to  record  an  instance  where 
the  flank  of  our  Army  of  the  Tennessee  were  ever  turned 
by  reason  of  the  cavalry  giving  away. 

Do  you  recall  the  battle  of  New  Hope  Church?  I had 
the  honor,  on  that  occasion,  to  carry  the  news  to  our  gal- 
lant Kelly,  and  to  the  immortal  Pat  Cleburne,  that 
Hooker’s  corps  was  then  in  the  woods,  advancing  on  the 
line,  then  held  by  Wheeler’s  Cavalry,  dismounted,  with 
no  entrenchments  and  breastworks  whatever.  On  that 
occasion  the  fight  was  made  principally  by  Cleburne’s 
Division  and  Wheeler’s  Cavalry,  and  Hooker’s  corps  was 
driven  in  confusion  from  the  field,  and  in  this  battle 
more  men  were  left  dead  upon  the  field  than  were  killed 
during  the  entire  war  between  Spain  and  the  United 
States. 

During  the  battle  of  Murfreesboro,  Wheeler’s  Cavalry, 
more  than  once,  made  a complete  circuit  of  Rosecrans’ 
entire  army,  destroying  practically  every  wagon  and 
team  that  he  had,  making  it  absolutely  impossible  for 
Rosecrans  to  make  any  attempt  to  follow  Bragg  for  more 
than  twenty-four  hours  after  Bragg  had  retreated.  I 
was  in  the  city  of  Murfreesboro,  Tenn.,  myself,  with  a 
squad  of  cavalry  the  night  after  Bragg  had  retreated 
therefrom. 

I can  truthfully  say  to  you  from  my  own  observation 
and  experience,  that  Wheeler’s  Cavalry  fought  every 
branch  of  the  Federal  army,  including  such  armored  ves- 
sels as  they  had  upon  the  rivers  and  streams  of  the  coun- 


64 


try  in  which  this  cavalry  was  located.  For  instance, 
only  a short  time  after  the  battle  of  Murfreesboro,  Col. 
William  B.  Wade,  that  gallant  and  noble  son  of  Missis- 
sippi, Colonel  of  the  Eighth  Confederate  Cavalry,  to 
which  I was  attached,  contrary  to  orders,  stole  our  little 
regiment  away,  together  with  two  pieces  of  artillery 
from  Wiggins’  battery,  while  Wheeler  was  on  a raid  in 
the  rear  of  Nashville,  and  stationed  us  upon  the  banks  of 
the  Cumberland,  where  the  snoww  as  not  less  than  a 
foot  deep.  Very  soon  a transport  came  along,  when 
only  a few  shots  from  the  small  arms  were  necessary  to 
effect  the  capture  of  the  vessel.  In  the  course  of  half  an 
hour  another  transport  came  which  was  captured  in  like 
manner.  Then  a third  came,  which,  after  an  attempt  to 
run  by  us,  notwithstanding  our  fire,  was  also  compelled 
to  surrender.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  after  each  boat 
was  tied  to  the  bank  a visit  was  made  by  details  specially 
made  for  that  purpose  to  each  one  of  the  boats,  where 
an  abundance  of  supplies,  both  solid  and  liquid  were  ob- 
tained and  enjoyed  by  the  men.  Finally  a very  sus- 
picious smoke  was  seen  up  the  river  and  a gunboat  hove 
in  sight,  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Van  Dorn,  who  at 
once  took  in  the  situation,  increased  his  speed  and  pre- 
pared for  action.  But  he  had  no  sooner  come  within 
range  of  the  small  arms  than  volleys  were  fired  into  each 
and  every  port  hole  and  at  the  pilot,  until  they  were 
compelled  to  surrender,  the  artillery,  at  the  direction  of 
Colonel  Wade,  having  “fired  a salute.”  Three  of  these 
boats,  including  the  gunboat,  were  burned,  and  all  the 
prisoners  taken  from  the  several  boats  were  placed  upon 
the  largest  vessel  and  sent  on  their  way  rejoicing.  A 
short  time  after  this  I read  what  purported  to  be  an  ac- 
count of  this  action  in  a Southern  paper,  the  headlines 
of  which  characterized  Wheeler’s  Cavalry  as  “Wheeler’s 
Horse  Marines.” 

As  the  war  progressed,  and  as  our  men  became  accus- 
tomed to  the  ways  and  tactics  of  the  enemy,  who  would 
often-times  charge  upon  our  outposts  immediately  upon 
seeing  the  picket,  with  a view  of  capturing  the  grand 
guard  or  picket  reserves,  it  became  seldom  that  we 
would  lose  one  of  our  men  in  that  way.  Although  it  was 
impossible  to  mount  their  horses  and  form  themselves 
before  the  enemy  would  be  upon  them,  each  and  every 
man  would  mount  and  fly  in  different  directions,  in  a 


65 


few  moments  rallying  again  at  the  proper  place.  As 
evidence  that  this  was  not  the  result  of  demoralization 
or  cowardice,  I will  tell  you  of  an  incident  in  which  one 
of  our  Alabama  boys,  not  exceeding  14  years  of  age,  was 
the  principal  actor.  In  front  of  Luverne,  between  Mur- 
freesboro and  Nashville,  a party  of  the  First  Alabama 
Cavalry,  which  was  Clanton's  old  regiment,  was  on 
picket  duty  on  the  pike.  A battalion  of  Federal  cavalry 
under  a gallant  officer  came  up,  and  upon  approaching 
our  picket  post  he  instructed  his  men  that  immediately 
upon  firing  of  our  picket  for  every  man  to  rush  in  and 
capture  his  man,  so  that  when  the  picket  fired  they  all 
came  with  a yell  and  a dash.  This  little  boy,  with  no 
arms  but  an  old  Austrian  rifle,  and  riding  a little  gray 
pony,  dashed  down  a lane  leading  due  south,  toward 
where  my  own  command  was  on  picket.  The  Federal  of- 
ficer, thinking  he  had  a safe  thing,  selected  the  boy  as 
his  man,  and  pursued  him  down  the  lane  for  two  or  three 
hundred  yards.  Finally  the  little  fellow  leaped  off  his 
pony  and  over  the  fence.  The  Colonel  dashed  up  and 
demanded  his  surrender,  but  the  little  fellow,  with  his 
old  Austrian  rifle  resting  on  a rail  and  with  his  finger 
on  the  trigger  said : “I  guess  I've  got  you!  I guess  I’ve 
got  you!”  Whereupon  he  made  the  Colonel  drop  his  pis- 
tol and  his  sword  and  move  off  a few  yards.  He  then 
pulled  down  the  fence  and  crossed  it,  putting  on  the 
Colonel’s  sword  and  pistol,  strapping  his  Austrian  rifle 
on  his  back  and  proceeded  to  march  his  prisoner  to  head- 
quarters. 

Looking  back  through  thirty-three  years,  in  the  light 
of  all  I have  seen  and  read,  I do  not  believe  that  any 
country  in  the  world’s  history,  before  or  since,  has  pro- 
duced a braver  or  nobler  set  of  men  than  those  who  con- 
stituted the  Confederate  Cavalry.  There  is,  first  of  all, 
our  own  glorious  Wheeler,  Bedford  Forrest,  J.  E.  B. 
Stewart,  Hampton,  our  own  gallant  and  chivalrous  Kel- 
ly, our  own  W.  W.  Allen,  Fitzhugh  Lee,  Martin,  Humes, 
Van  Dorn,  Robinson,  Chalmers,  Hagan,  Adams,  Arm- 
strong, Ashby,  Brewer,  Williams,  John  H.  Morgan, 
Basil  Duke,  Iverson,  Wade,  Clanton,  John  T. 
Morgan,  Roddy,  Bufford,  Wailes,  Prather,  our  own  Tom 
Brown,  Terry  and  Wharton,  Charley  Ball  and  a host  of 
others,  good  and  true  men,  of  whose  heroic  deeds  it 
would  be  pleasant  to  tell  you,  but  time  will  not  permit, 

5 


66 


I did  not  mention  tlie  name  of  poor  Clay  King.  He  de- 
serves a better  fate.  Let  me  tell  you  one  instance  show- 
ing the  gallantry  of  this  man:  At  Booneville,  Miss., 

while  we  were  led  by  General  Chalmers,  with  th (4 Eighth 
Confederate  on  the  left,  Clanton’s  First  Alabama  in  the 
center  and  Wert  Adams  on  the  right,  we  charged  upon  a 
force  under  General  Sheridan  at  Booneville,  Miss.  Clay 
King’s  battalion  was  left  to  protect  our  rear.  We  had 
driven  the  Federal  Cavalry  away  while  they  were  feed- 
ing their  horses  on  wheat,  and  Clay  King  permitted  his 
men  to  take  the  bits  out  of  their  horses’  mouths  and  let 
them  turn  into  the  fence  corners  and  feed,  while  the 
other  forces  were  fighting  in  the  front.  While  in  this 
position  a column  of  Federal  cavalry  charged  them  in 
the  rear.  King  then  caused  his  men  to  mount,  without 
bits  in  their  horses’  mouths,  and  charged  the  enemy  and 
drove  them  back. 

Happy  am  I at  the  recollection  of  having  been  asso- 
ciated in  those  days  with  such  men  as  the  gallant  McEl- 
derrv,  who  fell,  with  many  others,  at  Varnell  Station, 
near  Dalton,  in  as  gallant  a charge  as  was  ever  made  in 
war.  There  was  Knox  Miller,  Charley  Pollard,  Tim 
Jones,  Tom  Hannon,  David  T.  Blakey,  Warren  Keese, 
Barron,  Crommelin,  Anderson,  Chambliss,  Moore,  John 
Clisby,  George  Allen,  Clay  Reynolds,  Powell,  King,  Bob 
Snodgrass,  Ed.  Ledyard,  Pete  Mastin,  John  Leigh,  Jim 
Judkins  and  hundreds  of  others  whom  1 remember  with 
pleasure  who  risked  their  lives  on  many  bloody  fields, 
and  showed  to  the  world  what  only  a Confederate  cav- 
alryman could  do;  and  there  are  hundreds  of  our  com- 
rades whose  life  blood  lias  made  sacred  the  soil  of  the 
South  by  reason  of  their  having  sacrificed  their  lives  in 
defence  of  the  cause  which  they  believed  to  be  just. 

Wheeler’s  Cavalry  was  the  veritable  eyes  of  the  Army 
of  the  Tennessee.  They  were  here,  there  and  every- 
where; in  the  enemy’s  camps,  counting  their  camp  fires, 
their  stacks  of  guns;  being  able  to  tell  with  almost  abso- 
lute accuracy  the  number  and  character  of  the  troops  of 
the  enemy  and  their  location,  burning  wagon  trains  and 
destroying  bridges,  harrassing  the  enemy  in  their  flanks 
and  rear,  and  in  every  conceivable  way;  always  on  picket 
duty,  and  always  between  our  main  army  and  that  of  the 
enemy. 

Only  a few  weeks  ago  I met  a gallant  officer,  who  is 


67 


now  in  the  Federal  army,  who  was  from  Georgia,  and 
who  told  me  that  when  lie  was  a little  boy  he  saw  a 
charge  niade  by  one  of  Wheeler’s  cavalry  regiments,  and 
that  he  had  never  forgotten  it.  This  whs  the  charge 
made  at  Cassville,  Ga.,  by  the  Eighth  Confederate  Cav- 
alry, in  which  they  captured  about  100  wagons,  all  load- 
ed with  army  baggage,  each  having  from  four  to  six 
mules.  These  were  brought  safely  out,  and  added  very 
much  to  the  equipment  of  our  own  army.  In  the  Se- 
quatchee  Valley,  according  to  the  best  estimate,  we  cap- 
tured between  400  and  500  of  the  enemy’s  wagon,  but 
which  we  were  compelled  to  burn. 

From  time  to  time  there  has  been  much  criticism  of 
the  cavalry.  In  some  instances  it  was  stated  that  a visit 
from  them  was  as  disastrous  as  a visit  from  the  enemy. 
Doubtless  in  many  instances,  this  was  true,  for  the 
simple  reason  that  they  had  no  means  of  subsistence,  ex- 
cept upon  the  country  through  which  they  passed,  and 
,as  they  were  always  moving  away  from  supply  trains 
and  the  like,  there  was  no  other  recourse,  except  to  sub- 
sist upon  the  resources  of  the  country  in  which  they  hap- 
pened to  be  for  the  time  being. 

In  these  various  movements  of  the  cavalry  away  from 
our  own  lines,  our  men  were  often  shot  down  and  we 
were  compelled  to  leave  them  upon  the  field,  and  they 
were  never  seen  again.  There  is  not  a State  through 
which  this  body  passed  that  is  not  hallowed  by  the  blood 
of  our  valiant  comrades,  and  made  sacred  by  the  fact 
that  their  bones  were  bleached  on,  or  lie  buried  in  its 
soil.  The  cavalry  participated  in  every  important  en- 
gagement of  the  Army  of  Tennessee,  commencing  with 
Shiloh,  April  6th,  1862,  and  ending  in  North  Carolina  in 
1865. 

Well  do  I remember  the  teachings  of  the  gallant  and 
lamented  General  Bowen,  of  Missouri.  While  we  were 
at  Camp  Beauregard,  some  twenty-five  miles  east  of  Co- 
lumbus, Ky.,  in  the  winter  of  1861,  when  we  were  threat- 
ened with  an  attack  by  a very  large  force  of  Federals, 
these  three  companies  that  I first  mentioned,  were  ad- 
dressed by  this  gallant  officer.  By  order  of  General  Polk, 
we  had  been  furnished  with  some  old  guns,  known  as 
“Hall’s  carbines;”  up  to  that  time  we  had  nothing  but 
pistols  and  sabres.  General  Bowen  told  us  that  these 
carbines  were  worthless,  that  he  had  tried  to  get  the  or- 


68 


der  sending  tliem  to  us  countermanded,  but  lie  said,  “We 
have  a chance  to  get  rid  of  them,  and  will  do  it  tomor- 
row. I will  only  furnish  you  one  round  of  ammunition 
to  the  man,”  said  he,  “and  I wish  you  to  fire  that  before 
you  leave  camp,  and  then  throw  your  guns  away.  After 
that,  depend  upon  your  pistols  and  your  sabres,  and  you 
will  come  out  victorious.”  Acting  on  his  suggestion,  we 
threw  the  guns  away,  and  from  that  time  the  companies 
composing  the  Eighth  Confederate  Regiment  were  armed 
only  with  pistols  and  sabres,  and  in  the  light  of  our  ex- 
perience, 1 am  sure  our  efficiency  was  in  no  way  im- 
paired by  not  being  provided  with  guns. 

When  our  army  left  Columbus,  Ky.,  the  cavalry  was 
the  last  to  leave  that  city ; when  we  retreated  from  Cor- 
inth the  cavalry  was  in  the  rear.  As  you  doubtless  re- 
member, as  a matter  of  history,  we  went  as  far  south  as 
Tupelo,  and  from  there  we  were  transferred  to  Chatta- 
nooga, Tenn.  Thence  we  led  the  way  for  Bragg  through 
Kentucky;  we  fought  over  practically  all  the  ground 
leading  back  through  Cumberland  Gap  to  Knoxville,  and 
at  many  points,  until  we  got  to  Murfreesboro.  There  we 
located  at  Stewart’s  Creek,  and  there  is  not  a foot  of  land 
between  Stewart’s  Creek  and  the  outposts  of  the  enemy 
around  Nashville,  that  was  not  traversed  by  this  cavalry 
hundreds  of  times.  When  Rosecrans  commenced  his  ad- 
vance on  Murfreesboro,  as  I now  remember,  it  was  six 
days  we  fought  this  army  before  it  came  in  contact  with 
our  infantry.  That  night,  at  12  o'clock,  after  our  horses 
had  been  groomed  and  fed,  we  left  for  his  rear,  and  we 
continued  in  his  rear  practically  until  after  Bragg  had 
retreated  from  Murfreesboro;  in  fact,  Bragg  had  re- 
treated, leaving  only  Cleburne’s  Division,  with  one  or 
two  batteries  of  artillery  and  a regiment  of  cavalry  be- 
tween Murfreesboro  and  the  enemy,  leaving  Wheeler  in 
the  rear  of  Rosecrans. 

Leading  back  from  Murfreesboro  to  the  Tennessee 
river  and  in  the  direction  of  Chattanooga  and  Decatur, 
Ala.,  every  portion  of  the  ground  was  traversed  by 
Wheeler’s  Cavalry,  and  there  are  but  few  places  where 
fights  did  not  occur.  But  why  recount  these  details? 
From  Chattanooga,  leading  toward  Atlanta,  Chicka- 
mauga,  Missionary  Ridge,  step  by  step,  town  by  town, 
in  fact,  there  was  not  sufficient  to  make  a respectable 
farm  land  between  Chattanooga,  Tenn.,  or,  I might  say, 


69 


from  Nashville,  Term.,  to  Savannah,  Ga.,  where  Wheel- 
er’s Cavalry  did  not  have  a tight  of  some  kind.  From 
then  to  the  last  days  in  North  Carolina,  it  was  day  by 
day,  and  every  day,  losing  a man  here  and  yonder,  but  at 
the  close  there  was  no  command  that  presented  a more 
solid  front,  or  stood  more  firmly  together,  boot  to  boot, 
than  those  gallant  boys  who  followed  the  fortunes  of 
Wheeler  from  beginning  to  end. 

I believe  what  I.  say  of  Wheeler’s  Cavalry  is  also  true 
of  Forrest,  Hampton,  Stewart  and  all  those  other  gal- 
lant leaders  of  the  Lost  Cause. 

At  Thompson’s  Station,  in  Tennessee,  Wheeler’s  Cav- 
alry had  the  honor  of  capturing  one  who  is  now  one  of 
the  heroes  of  Santiago,  our  own  distinguished  General 
Shatter,  and  I believe  he  was  promoted  for  gallantry  on 
that  occasion. 

Only  a short  time  before  the-end,  the  gallant  Shannon, 
who  commanded  what  was  known  as  “Wheeler’s  Scouts,”, 
captured  in  one  night  about  seventy-five  men  who  were 
doing  picket  duty  for  General  Kilpatrick,  and  in  this 
way  enabled  Wheeler  to  surprise  his  camp  the  next 
morning. 

Did  you  ever  see  a cavalry  charge?  Imagine  a thous- 
and imps  of  darkness!  a thousand  fiends  incarnate! 
drawn  up  in  battle  array.  In  front  of  them  is  a line 
which  must  be  broken.  You  hear  the  cannons  roar ! The 
bursting  of  shell!  The  crashing  of  the  grape  and  can- 
ister! You  see  the  men  with  sabre  drawn,  with  eyes 
flashing  fire;  every  horse  with  head  erect  and  champing 
his  bit,  as  though  he,  too,  were  conscious  of  what  was 
. about  to  take  place.  They  start!  the  trampling  of  hoofs 
resembling  the  roll  of  distant  thunder;  first  a trot,  then 
a gallop,  then  they  charge  with  yells  and  loud  huzzas, 
and,  like  maniacs,  they  rush  upon  the  enemy.  See  the 
gaps  in  the  lines  as  the  grape  and  cannister  crashes 
through  them ; you  see  them  close  up,  boot  to  boot.  There 
is  no  halting,  but  with  a determination  to  do  or  die,  they 
rush  their  steeds  ahead;  then  you  hear  the  roll  of  mus- 
ketry, the  rattling  fire  of  pistols,  the  clank  of  sabres,  the 
shrieks  of  the  wounded  and  the  groans  of  the  dying;  in  a 
moment,  the  vanquished  run  madly  from  the  field,  pur- 
sued by  the  victors,  dealing  death  to  their  fleeing  ad- 
versaries. These  are  the  times  that  try  men’s  souls,  and 
call  for  heroic  action.  , 


70 


From  Shiloh  to  the  last  days  in  North  Carolina,  such 
scenes  as  I have  here  depicted  occurred  on  many  oc- 
casions, but  whether  successful  or  not,  the  boys  who 
wore  the  grey,  honored  it  and  never  faltered,  and  when 
the  end  came  there  was  no  better  organized  command  in 
the  entire  Confederate  Army  than  Wheeler’s  Cavalry 
Corps. 

Fellow  soldiers,  this  monument  is  not  complete.  We 
soldiers  should  add  to  it  a statue  showing  the  most 
queenly  woman  of  which  the  human  mind  can  conceive, 
to  represent  in  her  divine  ministry,  the  gentle  leader  of 
the  most  queenly  women  the  world  ever  saw..  These  the 
grandest,  greatest,  purest,  noblest  and  best  of  God’s 
handiwork  who  went  about  as  did  Aunt  Sophia  Bibb, 
as  ministering  angels  during  that  dark  period  and  who 
never  faltered  in  caring  for  our  sick  and  wounded,  and 
in  giving  us  courage  in  every  way — to  them  we  are  in- 
debted for  this  and  every  other  monument  which  has 
been  erected,  and  for  much  of  the  history  that  has  been 
written.  While  our  best  men  were  slain  in  that  strug- 
gle, we  saved  our  jewels,  consisting  of  our  women,  and 
our  children,  and  our  honor.” 

Major  Falkner  then  escorted  to  the  statue  of  the  man 
of  horse,  Miss  Laura  Martin  Elmore,  the  gentle  repre- 
sentative of  more  than  two  fine  families,  the  grand- 
daughter of  the  public-spirited  John  Elmore,  whose  tal- 
ents were  commensurate  with  his  sterling  worth  and  re- 
tiring dignity  of  character.  This  daughter  of  Captain 
Vince  Elmore,  himself  one  of  the  undaunted,  an  exem- 
plar of  the  time,  was  chosen  to  crown  the  equestrian 
statute  with  these  words: 

“Pause,  ye  who  seek  the  noblest  bier, 

And  wreathe  the  laurel  garland  here.” 

Then  followed  her  winsome  recitation  of  Francis  O. 
Ticlmor's  finest  stanza  of  one  of  the  finest  lyrics  of  the 
war : 

"The  knightliest  of  the  knightly  race, 

Who,  since  the  days  of  old. 

Have  kept  the  lamp  of  chivalry 
Alight  in  hearts  of  gold.” 

Miss  Gorman  then  sang  “The  Bonnie  Blue  Flag,”  and 
young  and  old  joined  in  the  chorus,  which  was  almost 
lost  in  tears. 


71 


Col.  A.  A.  Wiley,  a typical  hero  of  the  late  Spanish- 
American  war,  likewise  having  seen  service  as  a youth 
in  the  more  romantic  episode  of  the  century,  laying  aside 
the  uniform  of  the  present  in  gallant  consideration  of 
the  memorial  occasion,  arose  as  a simple  cavalier  to 
represent  Capt.  J.  H.  Clisby,  Mayor  of  the  city,  whose 
illness  prevented  his  participation  in  the  presentation  of 
the  monument,  in  behalf  of  the  Ladies’  of  the  Memorial 
Association,  to  Gov.  Johnston,  for  the  State.  The  queen- 
ly offering  was  gracefully  tendered  as  follows: 

\ 

COL.  WILEY'S  SPEECH. 

Col.  A.  A.  Wiley  said  : 

Mr.  Chairman , Ladies  of  the  Memorial  Association  and 
Fellow-Citizens : 


If  there  be  one  privilege  dearer  to  us  than  the  rest,  it 
is  to  do  honor  to  the  dead;  to  wreathe  a bright  chaplet 
about  the  broken  urn  as  a tender  expression  of  that  sym- 
pathy too  delicate  for  human  utterance. 

The  history  of  a nation  is  in  the  memory  of  her  sons. 
Her  palladium  is  in  their  hearts.  The  annals  of  our  race 
record  affecting  instances  of  the  overthrow  of  mighty 
nationalities,  whose  people  have  been  driven  under  the 
galling  yoke,  led  into  cheerless  captivity  or  exiled  to 
foreign  shores,  there  in  their  sorrow  and  sadness  to 
mourn  over  warriors  slain,  cities  sacked  and  liberties 
crushed.  How  touching  the  conduct  of  Israel’s  chil- 
dren, when,  upon  the  oppressor’s  soil,  they  hung  their 
harps  upon  the  willows  and  refused  to  sing,  saying: 
“How  can  we  sing  the  Lord’s  songs  in  a strange  land?” 

Since  the  hour  of  man’s  first  disobedience,  when  he 
was  expelled  from  the  green  depths  and  scented  bowers 
of  an  eastern  garden  he  has  drawn  his  best  inspirations 
and  holiest  asperations  from  woman.  She  has  adorned 
his  whole  career.  As  she  was  first,  so  will  she  be  the 
last  apostle  of  liberty.  To  that  unselfish  influence  for 
good,  which  the  brave,  true-hearted  daughters  of  the 
South  have  never  failed  to  exert,  are  we  indebted  this 
day  for  this  beautiful  monument,  so  tenderly  expressive 
of  love  for  a cause  that  was  lost,  as  well  as  for  the  loyal 
men,  who  were  willing  to  battle,  and,  if  need  be,  to  die 
in  upholding  their  convictions  of  duty  and  right. 


72 


In  that  fearful  struggle,  our  noble  Southern  women 
cheerfully  sent  forth  their  fathers,  husbands,  sons,  broth- 
ers and  loved  ones,  to  go  down  for  God  and  country,  into 
the  dark  valley  of  death.  Like  ministering  angels  they 
followed  in  the  red  path  of  war  to  stop  the  fast  ebbing 
of  the  crimson  life- tide,  or  to  hold  a cup  of  cold  water 
to  the  burning  lips  of  the  wounded  and  dying.  They  vis- 
ited the  dangerous  hospital  to  bless  and  to  cheer.  They 
had  ever  kind  words  for  the  weak  and  despondent,  gentle 
acts  for  the  sick  and  suffering,  sweet  tears  for  the  dead 
and  dying,  and  tender  sympathy  for  the  widowed  and 
bereft.  Thank  God  for  the  glorious  women  who  dwell 
in  this  golden  Southland! 

We  are  told  by  the  wise  man  that  “there  is  a .time  to 
kill  and  a time  to  heal;  a time  to  break  down  and  a time 
to  build  up ; a time  of  war  and  a time  of  peace.”  It  is  not 
strange  or  unnatural  that  the  two  sections  of  this  great 
country  should  have  quarreled  and  fought.  In  the  order 
and  nature  of  things  discord  was  inevitable.  National 
discontent  results  from  conflicting  interests.  With  jar- 
ring interests  come  clashing  opinions,  which  ofttim.es 
are  irreconcilable  except  by  the  arbitrament  of  the 
sword ; for  a courageous  man,  or  nation  of  men,  uncon- 
vinced, cannot  honorably  yield  to  anything  short  of 
physical  force;  but  when  that  is  over,  the  manly  mind 
forgets  and  the  generous  heart  forgives. 

The  Southern  soldier  fought  to  repel  invasion,  to  de- 
fend his  altars,  to  protect  his  fireside.  Truth  is  not  to  be 
determined  by  success,  nor  is  justice  to  be  measured  by  a 
failure  to  maintain  her  cause  in  the  case  of  unequal  odds. 
The  only  real  liberator  is  truth ; and  she  makes  none  free 
but  those  who  strive  to  strike  off  their  own  fetters. 
Heroism  derives  its  lustre  from  the  motive  which 
prompts  men  to  display  courage  and  fortitude  in  a right- 
eous cause.  Upon  the  tomb  of  the  slain  heroes  of  Ther- 
mophyla? is  epitaphed  this  splendid  tribute  to  their  valor 
and  patriotism : 

“Stranger,  go  tell  at  Lacedaemon 

That  we  lie  here  in  obedience  to  her  laws.” 

That  illustrious  Spartan  band,  who  fell  at  that  nar- 
row mountain  pass,  were  not  more  sublimely  brave  in 
opposing  the  armed  battalions  of  an  invading  force,  than 
were  the  valiant  boys  in  grey,  who  perished . in  with- 


73 


standing  the  overwhelming  numbers  of  hostile  intruders, 
who  were  driven  on  madly  against  us  by  the  fury  of  sec- 
tional hate. 

More  than  a third  of  a century  ago,  Jefferson  Davis, 
standing  on  the  front  portico  of  our  State  Capitol,  took 
the  oath  of  office,  and  delivered  his  inaugural  address  as 
the  first  and  only  President  of  the  Confederate  States. 
Since  that  memorable  event,  both  he  and  his  people  have 
met  disaster  and  misfortune,  felt  calamity  and  sorrow, 
and  witnessed  carnage  and  death. 

'Tis  said  that  the  Black  Mountain  of  Bember  is  situ- 
ated at  the  extremity  of  the  burning  territory  of  Lahore. 
He  who  climbs  it  sees  before  him  only  barren  rocks;  but 
when  he  has  struggled  to  its  top,  he  beholds  Heaven 
above  his  head,  and  at  his  feet  the  rich  kingdom  of  Cash- 
mere.  Our  grand  old  Chieftain  had  toiled  up  the  rugged 
heights  of  a terrible  conflict,  and  for  many  long  and 
dread  years  had  borne,  vicariously,  the  grievous  burden 
which  “The  Lost  Cause”  entailed.  He  came  forth  from 
his  voluntary  retirement  to  visit  his  Capitol  again.  How 
different  his  purpose,  on  that  occasion,  from  what  it  was 
when  he  first  heard  the  glad  acclaims  of  the  people  hail- 
ing him  ruler  of  that  young,  storm-rocked  nation,  whose 
brilliant  achievements  dazzled  the  world.  From  the  sum- 
mit of  an  honorable  life,  high  above  the  tongue  of 
calumny,  he  could  look  down  once  more  upon  an  eager 
throng  of  “fair  women  and  brave  men.'’  He  did  not  ap- 
pear upon  those  interesting  scenes  to  assume  the  reins 
of  authority — to  sway  the  destinies  of  government.  No, 
no ! He  came  to  discharge  a sacred  duty, — to  participate 
in  the  interesting  ceremonies  incident  to  the  laying  of 
the  corner  stone  of  this  magnificent  monument,  de- 
signed to  honor  those  Alabamians  who  went  forth  in 
obedience  to  the  sovereign  command  of  their  native 
State,  and  died  upon  “the  perilous  edge  of  battle”  while 
the  Southern  cross  was  gleaming. 

In  a hamlet  called  Burgh-upon-Sands  stands  a monu- 
ment erected  to  the  memory  of  Edward  the  First,  under 
whose  bold  and  crafty  policy  began  those  civil  dissen- 
sions which  drenched  Scotland  in  blood.  Upon  that 
fatal  spot  the  hand  of  Providence  overtook  him  as  he 
was  leading  from  England  across  the  border  a victorious 
army  with  which  to  complete  the  subjugation  of  Scot- 
land. But  for  the  associations  clustering  about  it,  the 


field  of  Bannockburn  would,  doubtless,  have  remained  a 
tameless  turf.  It  was  in  sight  of  this  tomb — this  great 
landmark  of  national  freedom — that  an  enterprise  was 
set  on  foot,  second  to  none,  either  in  honor  or  impor- 
tance, since  the  day  the  immortal  Bruce  stabbed  the 
Bed  Comyn,  and  grasped  with  his  yet  bloody  hand  the 
independent  crown  of  Scotland. 

That  monument  serves  a two-fold  purpose.  It  perpet- 
uates the  injustice  inspired  by  English  tyranny,  and 
commemorates  the  glory  achieved  by  Scottish  valor. 

Yon  splendid  monument,  of  bronze  and  stone,  reared 
by  the  patriotic  women  of  Alabama,  on  this  historic  hill, 
to  the  memory  of  the  Southern  soldier,  has  likewise  a 
double  object  ; — one  to  tell  posterity  his  valor  in  arms, 
patience  under  trial,  fortitude  under  suffering;  the  other 
to  keep  alive  forever  the  glorious  principles  of  liberty, 
for  which  Lee  fought  and  for  which  Stonewall  Jackson 
fell. 

And  now,  at  the  close  of  these  interesting  exercises 
and  ceremonies,  permit  me  to  say,  that  I am  commis- 
sioned by  the  Mayor  and  City  Council  of  Montgomery, 
in  their  name  and  by  their  authority,  formally  and  sol- 
emnly, to  present  this  monument,  built  upon  the  soil  and 
property  of  the  Commonwealth,  in  all  its  grandeur  and 
imposing  beauty,  to  the  Chief  Executive  of  Alabama. 
To  your  keeping,  Governor  Johnston,  as  the  guardian 
and  custodian  of  the  best  and  most  sacred  interests  of 
the  State,  I commit  this  trust.  Cherish  and  protect  it; 
•and  with  the  valuable  aid  and  loving  assistance  of  the 
Ladies’  Memorial  Association  keep  it  in  good  and  safe 
condition  throughout  the  coming  years.” 

' The  Governor,  albeit  appreciative  of  the  honor  ten- 
dered him,  graciously  delegated  the  act  of  acceptance  to 
his  Private  Secretary,  Mr.  Chappel  Cory.  Out  of  the 
abundance  of  his  varied  store  of  knowledge  and  his  pos- 
session of  a rare  repertoire  of  words,  choice  was  made 
of  the  simplest  manner  of  expression  and  brevity  became 
the  soul  of  eloquence. 


75 


Mr.  Cory  said : 

“Mrs.  Bibb  and  Ladies  of  the  Memorial  Association , 
Mr.  Mayor , ladies  and  gentlemen  : 

Through  your  devoted  labor  and  patriotism  this  me- 
morial lias  been  reared  upon  the  grounds  of  the  State, 
and  with  this  last  act  of  consecration  your  work  is  com- 
plete. It  remains  now  for  the  State  to  accept  it  at  your 
hands,  and  to  guard  the  sacred  trust  through  the  passing- 
years,  an  inspiration  and  a blessing  to  the  people  in  their 
generations  as  they  come  and  go.  Deputed  by  the  Gov- 
ernor to  perform  this  pleasing  but  solemn  duty  and 
speaking  in  his  stead,  on  behalf  of  the  great  people  who 
make  the  State,  1 accept  it  for  them  as  a shrine  where 
their  patriotism  will  never  forget  to  pay  its  worship. 
Let  us  remember,  according  to  the  inscription  on  its  base, 
this  monument  has  been  secured  and  consecrated  by  the 
women  of  Alabama  a memorial  to  the  heroism  of  all  our 
soldiers  and  sailors,  of  those  who  are  living,  of 

those  ‘who  are  dead.  That  devotion  to  duty  which 
marked  the  shining  pathway  of  the  Confederate 

soldiers  and  sailors  to  their  own  undying  fame, 

is  not  merely  a glorious  episode  of  the  past,  a thing 

for  memory  and  for  epitaphs,  but  in  the  persons  of  those 
who  survive  is  still  a living  and  a breathing  claim  on  our 
gratitude  and  reverence.  As  the  State  and  people  shall 
honor  and  cherish  them,  so  shall  this  pile  of  stone  and 
bronze  be  not  a tribute  which  we  have  gathered  to  feed 
our  vanity  and  pride,  but  a blessed  emblem  and  outward 
show  of  what  is  in  our  heart  of  hearts.” 

Again  a sad  sweet  air,  “The  Last  Roll  Call,”  floated 
on  the  breeze  and  a beautiful  tableanx-vivant  arose , as 
if  the  spirits  of  1861-65  had  materialized  from  the 
mists  of  the  past.  Thirteen  young  girls,  representing 
the  thirteen  States  of  the  Confederacy,  attired  in  spot- 
less white,  with  grey  uniform  caps,  bright  crimson 
sashes  and  the  badges  of  their  various  States,  as  sent 
by  the  Governors  of  the  same  for  the  occasion,  appeared 
as  follows : 

South  Carolina — Miss  Jean  Craik. 

Mississippi — Miss  Maggie  Crommelin. 

Florida — Miss  Joscelyn  Fisher  Ockenden. 

Alabama — Miss  Rebecca  Pollard. 

Georgia — Miss  Katie  Burch. 


76 


Louisiana — Miss  Sarah  H.  Jones. 

Texas — .Miss  Mattie  Thorington. 

Virginia — Miss  Caroline  Hannon. 

Arkansas — Miss  Mamie  Holt. 

North  Carolina — Miss  Eliza  Arrington. 

Tennessee — Miss  Mattie  Gilmer  Bibb. 

Missouri — Miss  Alabama  Brown. 

Kentucky — Miss  Martha  E.  Bibb. 

These  young  women  were  representatives  of  old  fami- 
lies and  were  grouped  around  the  tattered  battleflag  of 
the  Sixtieth  Alabama  Regiment,  in  the  hands  of  the  cen- 
tral figure  of  “The  Southern  Confederacy,”  represented 
by  Miss  Sadie  Robinson,  who  was  dressed  in  deep 
mourning,  the  only  note  of  color  being  the  thirteen  stars 
that  crowned  her  jet-black  hair.  VI  iss  Robinson  was  the 
niece  of  the  late  devoted  Secretary,  Miss  Jeannie  Crom- 
melin,  and  standing  thus  in  the  strikingly  fair  circle,  she 
recited  Father  Ryan’s  immortal  poem,  “Furl  that  Ban- 
ner,” in  perfect  taste  and  deep  feeling,  which  held  all 
hearers  spell-bound.  Intense  silence  reigned  until  broken 
by  “Taps”  blown  by  Capt.  Courtney,  on  the  clarionet,  as 
if  the  sad  parting  hymn  of  dying  day.  Slowly  the  picture 
became  a dissolving  scene  and  their  fair  wraiths  of  the 
Southern  Confederacy  were  lost  to  sight.  The  Rev.  Dr. 
Eager  pronounced  the  benediction.  The  Montgomery 
Field  Artillery  fired  salutes — the  unveiling  was  over. 

It  stands  revealed,  a thing  of  beauty  and  grace,  the 
work  of  Woman,  the  pride  of  the  State,  commemorative 
of  man's  truth  to  his  convictions  and  woman’s  gratitude. 

It  is  gratifying  to  note  that  home  talent  has  been 
largely  patronized.  True,  Alexander  1 )oyle  may  proudly 
claim  to  be  the  original  designer  and  sculptor,  but  the 
Monument  was  erected  by  Curbow  & Clapp,  of  our  city. 
When  death  stopped  the  work  in  the  hands  of  this  firm, 
Mr.  Oliver  Clapp  was  entrusted  with  the  fulfilment  of 
the  contract,  and  proved  worthy  of  the  trust  by  conscien- 
tious completion.  The  stone  was  supplied  from  our  own 
quarries  by  I.  L.  Fossick,  of  Sheffield,  Ala.  The  granite 
statutes  were  furnished  hy  the  Curbow-Clapp  Marble 
Company,  and  chiseled  by  F.  Barnicoat,  of  Quincy, 
Mass.  But  the  photographs  submitted  for  selection,  not 
exactly  meeting  the  ideals  of  the  ladies,  the  sketches  in 
spired  by  their  suggestions  and  furnished  for  the  figures 


77 


representing  the  four  branches  of  the  service,  were  mod- 
eled by  the  graceful  and  skillful  pencil  of  Mr.  -J.  C. 
Doud,  a Montgomery  artist  of  superior  talent  on  many 
lines. 

It  is  finished,  but  as  long  as  time  endures  the  hearts 
of  Southern  women  will  find  work  for  faithful  hands  to 
do  in  the  Annual  Memorial  offering  and  in  the  preser- 
vation of  sacred  memories.  The  Ladies’  Memorial  Asso- 
ciation is  already  engaged  in  raising  funds  for  the  erec- 
tion of  a Monument  to  those  Alabamians  who  fought  and 
fell  on  the  field  of  Chiekamauga. 

The  regiment  of  our  own  gallant  Oates  has  an  iron 
tablet  already  there,  but  we  wish  to  add  another. 

The  present  officers  are : 

Mrs.  M.  D.  Bibb,  President. 

Mrs.  C.  J.  Hausman,  Vice-President. 

Mrs.  I.  M.  Porter  Ockenden,  Secretary-Treasurer. 

The  Executive  Committee  is:  Mrs.  J.  W.  A.  Sanford, 
Sr.,  Mrs.  Leon  Wyman,  Mrs.  T.  Arrington,  Mrs.  T.  G. 
Jones,  Mrs.  Frank  Duncan,  Mrs.  P.  H.  Gayle — six  noble 
women. 

During  its  thirty-four  years’  existence  the  Ladies’ 
Memorial  Association  has  had  two  Presidents,  Mrs. 
Judge  B.  S.  Bibb,  who  served  twenty-one  years,  and  her 
daughter,  Mrs.  Martha  Dandridge  Bibb,  who  has  served 
thirteen,  up  to  present  date;  four  Vice-Presidents,  Mrs. 
Judge  Phelan,  Mrs.  Dr.  Baldwin,  Mrs.  John  Elmore  and 
Mrs.  C.  J.  Hausman,  the.  present  incumbent.  The  trio 
preceding  her  have  shed  additional  lustre  on  the  honor- 
aide  names  of  Phelan,  Baldwin,  Elmore,  names  em- 
balmed not  only  in  the  lives  of  brave  men,  but  the  heart- 
beats of  self-sacrificing  women.  The  office  now  honors 
and  is  honored  by  one  whose  fine  mind  and  kind  heart  is 
warmed  by  the  blood  of  a race  noted  for  its  charities. 
The  Association  has  had  nine  Secretaries;  Mrs.  Dr.  W. 
O.  Baldwin,  Rev.  S.  D.  Cox,  Asst.  Mrs.  Virginia  Hil- 
liard. Miss  Bettie  Bell,  Miss  Mamie  Graham,  Mrs.  Rosa 
Gardner,  Miss  Jeannie  R.  Crommelin,  Mrs.  I.  M.  P.  Ock- 
enden. Five  Treasurers,  Mrs.  Hannon,  Mrs.  Wm.  Ware, 
Mrs.  Geo.  Holmes,  Miss  Jeannie  R.  Crommelin,  Mrs.  I. 
M.  P.  Ockenden. 

It  is  worthy  of  mention  herein  that  no  officer  or  mem- 
ber of  this  Association  has  ever  made  a charge  or  re- 
ceived any  pecuniary  compensation  for  any  labor  per- 
formed. From  the  first  dollar  ever  placed  in  the  Treas- 
ury to  the  last,  it  has  been  a work  of  love. 


78 


If  the  deathless  spirits  of  those  who  have  passed  away, 
return  to  this  earth  which  has  been  their  Home,  we  know 
that  when  the  sound  of  footsteps  had  ceased  to  fall  on 
Capitol  Hill  at  the  eventide  of  that  eventful  day,  fair 
angels  came,  following  one  sweet  soul  who  led  them  in 
their  ministrations  to  the  suffering  in  the  dark  days  of 
the  sixties. 

These  gathered  the  flitting  breaths  of  flowers,  the  won- 
drous power  of  words,  the  sounds  of  music  and  of  sweet 
voices;  the  beautiful  influences  of  loving  lives,  of  blessed 
smiles;  of  holy  toil,  of  sublime  sacrifice  and  bore  all 
heavenward  to  add  to  the  eternal  harmonies  of  the  Uni- 
verse. 


PERSONALS. 

The  four  young  ladies  representing  the  four  branches 
of  the  service,  who  crown  statues  and  recite  inscriptions : 

Miss  C.  T.  Raoul,  for  the  Infantry. 

Miss  Raoul  is  of  distinguished  French  and  American 
lineage,  a.  lady  of  rare  scholarly  attainments  and  su- 
perior talents  as  a linguist  and  a writer  of  prose  and 
verse.  The  inscription  on  the  base  of  the  pedestal  which 
upholds  the  statue  of  infantry  is  from  her  own  versatile 
pen.  She  has  been  selected  for  the  pleasing  task,  not  for 
her  revolutionary  descent  nor  for  her  marked  genius  nor 
for  her  many  services  to  the  Ladies’  Memorial  Associa- 
tion, but  because  she  wears  the  proud  distinction  of  hav- 
ing fired  the  first  gun  which  announced  the  secession  of 
Alabama! 

Miss  Lena  Hausman: 

The  artillery  statue  has  been  chosen  for  this  young 
lady,  as  a compliment  to  her  great  personal  worth  and  in 
honor  of  her  noble  mother.  Her  father  and  mother,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  C.  T.  Hausman,  were  notable  during  the  four 
years’  struggle  for  a loyalty  to  the  cause  and  a generous 
support  which  can  never  be  forgotten.  On  this  occasion 
Miss  Hausman  represents  her  mother,  the  Vice-Presi- 
dent of  the  Ladies’  Memorial  Association.  She  was 
President  of  the  Hebrew  Hospital  Association  during 
the  war  and  displayed  the  same  loyalty  and  devotion 
that  characterizes  her  work  in  the  Ladies’  Memorial  As- 
sociation, which  she  has  loved  to  serve  in  any  and  every 


79 


way  her  great  heart  has  found,  in  her  official  capacity, 
or  as  a working  member.  Devoted  to  the  Confederacy, 
she  maintained  an  unflagging  interest  in  the  time-hon- 
ored Association.  Mrs.  Hausman  is  widely  known  as 
one  of  the  most  charitable  ladies  of  the  many  of  whom 
Montgomery  can  boast.  It  is  indeed  fitting  that  her 
daughter,  a noble  scion  of  a noble  race,  should  represent 
her,  on  this  day  of  rejoicing  in  the  completion  of  a work, 

where  hers  has  been  a faithful  hand. 

* * * 

Miss  Janie  Eddins  Watts,  who  represents  the  Navy, 
which  “startled  the  wondering  world,”  is  the  daughter 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  T.  H.  Watts.  Her  father  inherited  the 
name  as  well  as  legal  ability  of  his  distinguished  father. 
Her  mother  is  a patriotic  daughter  of  Mrs.  M.  J.  Eddins, 
w ho  w as  for  years  the  President  of  the  Ladies’  Memorial 
Association  of  Tuscaloosa,  and  after  long  and  devoted 
service,  is  still  faithful  to  Confederate  memories.  The 
benevolent  and  kindly  heart  of  Gov.  T.  H.  Watts  has 
ceased  to  beat,  but  this  selection  of  his  grand  daughter 
proves  that  in  Southern  hearts,  his  memory  is  cherished. 
He  entered  the  service  of  the  Confederacy  as  Colonel  of 
the  gallant  Seventeenth  Alabama,  and  became  the  mag- 
netic leader  who,  alredy  noted  at  the  bar,  was  called  from 
this  active  field  service  to  the  high  position  of  Attorney- 
General  of  the  Confederate  States,  This  he  filled  with 
extraordinary  ability  and  in  turn  relinquished  at  the 
call  of  his  State  to  become  the  famous  war  Governor  of 
Alabama.  He  was  one  of  the  most  popular  men  and 
ablest  lawyers  the  State  has  produced.  He  wras  called 
by  Judge  B.  F.  Porter,  Chairman  of  the  Committee  of 
the  Southern  Historical  Society,  formed  at  Richmond, 
Va.,  to  become  President  of  the  Society,  for  the  preser- 
vation of  material  for  Southern  History  and  the  memory 
of  those  who  fell  in  the  service  of  the  State,  which  posi- 
tion he  occupied  until  its  labors  were  suspended  under 
military  rule.  As  a tribute  to  this  noted  grandsire  wTho 
was  the  intimate  friend  of  President  Davis  and  stood 
with  General  Gordon  by  his  side,  when  he  laid  the  cor- 
ner stone  of  the  Confederate  Monument,  it  is  peculiarly 
appropriate  that  this  graceful  representative  of  so 
prominent  a family,  and  the  Vice-President  of  the  Girls’ 
Memorial  Association  should  be  chosen  from  among  his 
fair  grand  daughters  to  honor  the  name  she  bears. 


80 


Miss  Laura  Martin  Elmore,  for  the  Cavalry,  is  the 
daughter  of  Major  and  Mrs.  V.  M.  Elmore,  who  are 
equally  devoted  to  Confederate  memories.  Her  father 
was  one  of  the  bravest  of  the  brave,  of  the  regiment  of  the 
lamented  Col.  James  H.  Clanton.  His  mind  is  a store 
house  of  thrilling  incidents  in  the  lives  of  his  brave 
leader  and  heroic  comrades.  The  Elmores  have  been 
notable  not  only  for  intellectuality,  professional  ability 
and  social  worth,  but  for  hearty  co-operation  and  faith- 
ful service  in  Confederate  history.  On  this  occasion, 
Miss  Elmore  is  called  specially  to  represent  her  lovely 
grandmother,  Mrs.  John  Elmore,  who  was  one  of  the 
Vice-Presidents  of  the  L.  M.  A.,  notable  in  a large  circle 
of  admiring  friends,  for  her  intellectual  gifts  and  per- 
sonal charm,  which  contributed  so  greatly  to  the  suc- 
cess of  the  Association  in  its  labors  to  preserve  the 
sacred  memories  she  cherished.  Her  services  can  never 
be  forgotten.  Miss  Elmore's  maternal  ancestor,  Capt. 
George  Hails,  went  heart  and  soul  into  the  support  of 
the  cause  of  the  struggling  Confederacy  and  not  only 
made  a proud  record  for  himself  and  descendants,  as  a 
fearless  soldier,  but  his  magnificent  generosity  was  un- 
limited in  contributions  to  every  effort  which  promoted 
the  welfare  of  the  South  or  the  comfort  of  the  suffering. 
Her  paternal  grandfather,  John  Elmore,  was  a man  of 
wonderful  legal  ability,  varied  talent  and  sturdy  patriot- 
ism. Her  great-grandfather,  Capt.  Robert  Hails,  was 
an  officer  in  the  Legion  of  Light  Horse  Harry  Lee,  dur- 
ing the  Revolutionary  War.  With  such  ancestral  records, 
it  is  most  appropriate  that  this  winsome  representative 
should  be  chosen  to  honor  Mrs.  John  Elmore,  one  of  the 
first  Vice-Presidents  of  the  L.  M.  A. 

The  fair  fourteen  vestal  maidens  who  represented  the 
Southern  Confederacy  and  the  thirteen  virgin  States — 
I he  thirteen  stars  of  the  Confederate  Flag  borne  by  the 
Confederate  States  in  the  order  in  which  they  seceded: 

“THE  SOUTHERN  CONFEDERACY.” 

Miss  Sadie  Robinson,  who  recited  “The  Conquered 
Banner,”  by  the  poet-priest  of  Alabama,  Father  Ryan,  is 
of  prominent  families  of  French  Huguenot  extraction, 
and  represents  on  this  red-letter  day,  her  aunt,  Miss  Jen- 
nie Ross  Crommelin  of  noble  blood  and  noble  heart,  the 


qi 

ui 

late  beloved  and  accomplished  Secretary  and  Treasurer 
of  the  Ladies'  Memorial  Association,  whose  devotion  to 
its  every  interest  ended  only  in  death.  Herself  of  revolu- 
tionary descent  traceable  to  the  days  when  New  York 
was  a village  and  Alabama,  the  haunt  of  the  Indian,  she 
had  much  for  which  to  be  proud,  but  no  more  modest 
Southern  lady  has  ever  given  time,  means,  talents  and 
devotion  to  the  Association.  Her  proudest  desire  was  to 
honor  the  cause  for  which  her  brave  brothers,  John  and 
Henry  Crommelin,  fought,  as  boy  soldiers,  and  to  see 
the  Monument  finished  for  which  she  had  toiled  so  many 
years.  It  will  be  seen  that  Miss  Robinson  thus  pays  tri- 
bute at  the  shrine  of  her  country,  to  the  memory  of  her 
gallant  uncles  and  to  the  memory  of  her  aunt,  Miss  Jen- 
nie Ross  Crommelin.  This  family,  one  of  the  first  of  the 
Huguenots  who  came  to  this  country,  has  been  eminent 
for  adherence  to  principle  from  Colonial  and  Revolu- 
tionary times  down  to  the  present  day.  To  the  Confedera- 
cy they  generously  contributed  out  of  their  abundant 
means  and  her  uncle,  our  excellent  ex-Mayo r John  Crom- 
melin, who  entered  the  service,  before  he  was  of  age, 
fought  to  the  bitter  end,  when  the  flag  of  the  South  was 
sadly  furled.  No  member  of  our  Association  has  ever 
been  truer,  with  willing  hands  and  graceful  pen  than 
Miss  Jeannie  Crommelin,  whose  memory  will  be  kept 
forever  green  by  her  loving  associates. 

* * * 

“First  gallant  South  Carolina,”  is  represented  by  Miss 
Jean  Craik,  the  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Geo.  W.  Craik. 
Her  father  is  a Kentuckian.  His  family  served  their 
country  during  the  Revolution  and  has  been  ever  true  to 
the  principles  handed  down  from  generation  to  genera- 
tion. Her  paternal  ancestor,  Dr.  Craik,  was  the  family 
physician  of  General  Washington. 

She  is  the  granddaughter  of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Wm.O.Bald- 
Avin.  The  latter,  who  Miss  Craik  specially  represents, 
Avas  the  first  Secretary  of  the  Ladies’  Memorial  Associa- 
tion, Avliose  faithful  and  able  services  are  fondly  remem- 
bered. No  one  has  been  more  true.  Her  devotion  to  the 
cause  was  intensified  by  the  sad  fate  of  her  young  and 
gifted  son,  Capt.  Wm.  O.  Baldwin,  who  entered  the  army 
from  school,  served  Avith  desperate  heroism  and  fell  on 
the  breastworks  of  Franklin  while  gallantly  leading  his 
company.  Mrs.  Baldwin  did  everything  in  her  power  to 
6 


82 


promote  the  influence  of  the  Association.  Although  in 
feeble  health  for  many  years,  her  interest  never  waned 
and  she  remained  unto  death,  faithful  to  the  sacred  mem- 
ories, perpetuated  by  the  organization  which  she  adorned 
by  her  superior  qualities  of  mind  and  character.  Her 
maternal  ancestor,  Judge  Abram  Martin,  of  a family  of 
Martins,  distinguished  for  a high  order  of  talent  and  for 
patriotic  zeal,  held  important  position  and  won  a wide 
reputation  as  a jurist.  In  herself,  Miss  Craik,  “the  bon- 
nie  Jean,”  albeit  so  young,  gives  evidence  of  traits  of 
character  which  make  her  a most  fitting  selection  to  per- 
sonate the  courageous  and  independent  little  State  of 
South  Carolina,  whose  badge  she  wears.  But  this  honor 
is  tendered  her  in  special  memory  of  her  grandmother, 
our  Secretary,  whose  efficient  .service,  lofty  worth  and 
untiring  devotion,  is  so  affectionately  cherished  by  her 
old  associates  and  friends  of  the  Ladies’  Memorial  Asso- 
ciation. 

* * * 

Close  in  her  wake  came  Mississippi,  which  is  person- 
ated by  Miss  Maggie  Crommelin.  She  is  the  daughter 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  Crommelin.  Her  father  entered 
the  service  of  the  Confederacy  in  early  youth  and  made 
a proud  record  as  a soldier  which  has  been  equalled,  not 
surpassed  by  his  worth  as  a citizen.  Her  mother,  as  the 
beautiful  Miss  Lucy  Metcalf,  has  rendered  highly  valued 
assistance  to  the  Ladies’  Memorial  Association.  Her 
aid,  beginning  in  early  girlhood  and  continuing  up  to  the 
present  time,  is  greatly  prized.  Her  maternal,  as  well  as 
paternal  uncles,  already  noted  herein,  were  conspicuous 
for  gallantry.  William  and  John  Metcalf  were  models 
of  courage  in  the  defense  of  the  principles  for  which  they 
so  bravely  fought.  Thus  patriotism  must  needs  be  the 
heritage  of  one  who  descends  from  two  such  families  as 
the  Metcalfs  and  Crommelins.  Naturally  gentle  in  heart 
and  pleasing  in  manner,  this  heroic  strain  makes  her  a 
worthy  as  well  as  lovely  personator  of  Mississippi,  so 
long  the  home  of  our  beloved  President  Davis — a State 
which  loved  and  suffered  much,  whose  badge  could  not 
be  more  worthily  worn  than  by  sweet  Maggie  Crom- 
melin. 

* * * 

The  Land  of  Flowers,  fair  Florida,  has  sent  her  State 
seal  and  kindly  greetings  to  Miss  Joscelyn  Ockenden, 


83 


whose  earliest  memories  are  of  its  pearly  lakes  and  ever- 
green groves.  She  is  the  personification  of  youth  and 
health  and  may  well  be  sought  to  represent  De  Leon’s 
land  of  promise  and  perpetual  life.  She  is  the  daughter 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Albion  Ockenden.  On  the  paternal  side, 
her  father  is  a grand  nephew  of  the  brave  young  Capt. 
Wolfe,  the  hero  of  the  heights  of  Abraham,  scenes  of 
whose  tragic  life  and  death  in  the  bloody  conflicts  of 
American  history,  are  recorded  in  bronze  in  Westminster 
Abbey.  Her  middle  name  comes  from  her  ancestor,  Ad- 
miral Fisher  of  the  British  Admiralty.  Not  to  represent 
these  historic  sires  has  she  been  chosen,  but  accepts  the 
honor  for  her  mother,  the  daughter  of  Judge  and  Mrs. 
B.  F.  Porter,  who  founded  in  their  own  home,  the  Sold- 
ier's Best,  from  which  grew  the  private  hospital  which 
became  the  Confederate  Hospital  in  Greenville,  Ala. 
Judge  Porter,  as  learned  as  kind,  was  Colonel  command- 
ing the  post;  organized  the  Soldier's  Aid  Society,  and 
Mrs.  Porter  served  four  years  as  matron,  establishing 
“The  Wayside  Table,”  which  was  daily  spread  at  the 
station,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  the  war,  free  of 
charge  to  the  Confederate  soldiers.  Three  sons  were 
given  to  the  army,  one  of  whom  found  death  in  the  last 
ditch  at  Franklin,  and  another  from  service  on  an  erand 
of  mercy;  the  third  was  captured  while  running  the 
last  train  of  supplies  for  the  Confederate  army.  No 
family  gave  more  to  the  sacred  cause  nor  was  more  wide- 
ly known  for  benevolence  and  love  of  native  land. 
Joscelyn  Fisher  Ockenden,  as  Florida,  pays  this  tribute 
to  her  mother's  people.  The  Porters  and  Henrys  of  But- 
ler are  closely  connected,  the  latter  being  related  to 
Patrick  Henry,  of  Virginia. 

* * -Jf 

Miss  Rebecca  Pollard,  the  fair  representative  of  our 
beloved  State  of  Alabama,  is  the  daughter  of  Capt.  and 
Mrs.  Charles  Pollard.  Her  father  entered  the  war  at 
19  years  of  age,  was  a youthful  and  gallant  soldier 
throughout  those  stormy  days.  His  brother,  John  Pol- 
lard, was  slaiu  while  in  fearless  conflict  with  the  foe. 
Her  mother  is  the  daughter  of  Major  Sam  Marks,  who 
was  not  only  one  of  the  bravest  of  soldiers,  but  he  and 
his  family  in  all  its  different  branches,  gave  with  almost 
princely  munificence  to  the  support  of  the  cause  they 
served  from  the  first  gun  to  the  last.  Major  Marks 


84 


equipped  a company  at  his  own  expense.  Many  a suffer- 
ing soldier  and  needy  family  shared  the  bounty  of  this 
brave  veteran  and  his  family.  The  Pollards  were  like- 
wise noted  for  those  sterling  traits  which  placed  them 
among  the  best  citizens.  Mr.  Charles  Pollard  was  Presi- 
dent of  the  first  railroad  in  Alabama.  The  Pollard  and 
Marks  branches  are  fitly  joined  in  the  fair  maiden  of 
their  name  and  blood,  who  has  been  selected  by  an  asso- 
ciation which  loves  to  honor  womanly  virtue,  good  and 
generous  citizenship,  as  well  as  valiant  patriotism.  Mr. 
C.  T.  Pollard  was  aid-de-camp  on  the  staff  of  General 
Allen,  fought  through  the  war  and  surrendered  only 
when  all  was  lost.  Her  uncles  were  equally  brave,  one 
entering  the  army  at  seventeen.  Could  we  choose  a bet- 
ter representative  to  wear  the  colors? 

* * * 

The  progressive  State  of  Georgia  is  most  worthily  per- 
sonated by  Miss  Katy  Burch,  whose  parents  and  grand- 
parents are  identified  with  the  history  of  the  State  to 
whose  prosperity  they  have  largely  contributed.  Her 
mother  has  been  a proud  member  of  the  Ladies’  Memorial 
Association  for  years.  But  she  comes  to  honor  those 
who  have  passed  away.  She  is  the  granddaughter  of 
Hon.  A.  B.  Clitherall,  who  was  Private  Secretary  to 
President  Davis  and  afterwards  Secretary  of  the  Con- 
federate Congress,  a man  of  distinguished  legal  ability 
and  varied  talents.  In  this  fair  galaxy  she  is  the  repre- 
sentative of  her  maternal  relative,  Mrs.  Eliza  Moore,  the 
patriotic  grandmother  of  Mrs.  Gov.  T.  G.  Jones,  one  of 
l he  most  devoted  of  women.  She  was  a useful  member  of 
the  Ladies’  Aid  Society  during  the  war,  which  was  es- 
tablished for  furnishing  the  soldiers  with  necessaries 
and  comforts  where  she  and  other  noble  ladies  worked 
with  deft  and  willing  fingers.  Her  maternal  grandmoth- 
er, Mrs.  Clitherall,  has  been  an  honored  member  of  the 
Association  for  many  years.  This  talented  young  girl 
worthily  represents  a brilliant  family,  which  gave  brave 

men  and  fair  women  to  the  cause  still  served  devotedly. 

* * * 

Louisiana’s  historic  star  will  be  worn  by  a young  and 
lovely  patriot,  Miss  Sarah  H.  Jones.  She  is  the  daugh- 
ter of  Col.  and  Mrs.  W.  B.  Jones.  Her  father  fought 
bravely  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  and  bears  the  hon- 
orable scars  of  battle  on  many  a hard-fought  field  and 


85 


lias  been  true  to  Confederate  memories,  with  touching 
loyalty.  After  the  disastrous  end  came,  he  became  as 
active  in  the  restoration  of  order.  He  was  a mem- 
ber of  the  Monumental  Committee,  and  was  one  of  the 
first  subscribers  of  $100  to  the  Monument.  Her  mother, 
the  daughter  of  Mr.  Wm.  Kay  and  his  good  wife,  has  ren- 
dered highly  valued  help  to  the  Ladies’  Memorial  Asso- 
ciation. They  have  reared  a family  which  could  not  be 
otherwise  than  true  to  those  great  principles  which  be- 
come a priceless  heritage,  greater  than  gold  and  lands. 

She  will  charmingly  personate  a great  Southern  State. 

* * * 

The  badge  of  the  Lone  Star  State  of  Texas  is  bestowed 
on  Miss  Mattie  Thorington,  the  daughter  of  Judge  and 
Mrs.  Wm.  Thorington.  Her  father  was  one  of  the  brave 
young  cadets  who  left  the  University  of  Alabama  to  fight 
for  the  South  and  continued  in  service  until  all  was  over. 
He  now  occupies  the  high  position  of  Dean  of  the  State 
University.  Her  grandfather,  Col.  Jack  Thorington, 
commanded  a regiment  in  the  famous  Hilliard’s  Legion, 
was  eminent  for  legal  lore  and  devoted  love  of  country, 
which  has  been  an  inheritance  in  the  family.  Her  ma- 
ternal grandfather,  Judge  Wm.  P.  Chilton,  was  a pro- 
found lawyer  and  jurist.  Texas  will  be  proud  of  this 
selection  in  her  honor,  for  Miss  Thorington  inherits  the 
beauty,  intellect  and  patriotism  of  her  gifted  kinsmen 
and  women.  Mention  must  here  be  made  of  her  relative, 
Mrs.  Sarah  Herron,  whose,  work  in  the  Ladies’  Hospital 
won  from  Mrs.  Sophie  Bibb  the  title  of  Florence  Night- 
ingale. 

* * * 

The  old  Dominion  is  worthily  represented  by  Miss 
Caroline  Hannon,  the  daughter  of  the  late  beloved  Capt. 
and  Mrs.  Thomas  Hannon.  . No  braver  and  truer 
man  ever  fought  for  native  land  than  her  fath- 
er, one  of  the  veterans  whose  devotion  to  its 
memories  was  unsurpassed.  Her  mother  was  Miss 
Sarah  Gilmer,  whose  ancestry  has  been  noted  in  the 
history  of  Virginia,  Georgia  and  other  States.  Her  rela- 
tive, Gov.  Walker  Gilmer,  was  Governor  of  Virginia  and 
Secretary  of  the  Navy,  a member  of  the  cabinet  of  Presi- 
dent Tyler.  Her  grandmother  was  first  Treasurer  of  the 
L.  M.  A.,  devoted  to  its  interests  and  work,  one  of  the 
gentlest  Christian  characters  in  Montgomery,  beloved 


86 


bv  every  one  who  knew  her.  These  ceremonies  would  be 
incomplete  without  honoring  her  in  the  lovable  person 

of  Miss  Caroline  Hannon. 

* * * 

Arkansas — Miss  Mamie  Holt,  who  thus  honors  this 
great  State,  is  the  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edward 
Holt.  Her  father  was  a brave  Confederate  officer.  Her 
mother  is  the  daughter  of  noble  Mrs.  Dr.  Bellinger,  who 
gave  two  buildings  on  Bellinger  Heights  for  the  accom- 
modation of  soldiers.  These  were  used  for  a hospital 
until  larger  quarters  were  needed  and  the  Ladies’  Hos- 
pital was  established  in  the  city.  Her  gentle  ministra- 
tions ended  not  there ; she  was  noted  for  her  devotion  to 
Confederate  charities  and  all  “the  sweet  courtesies  of 
life,”  which  made  her  a fitting  wife  for  the  courtly  Dr. 
Bellinger,  whose  heart  was  ever  true  to  his  country.  The 
family  is  of  an  artistocratic  line  of  Huguenot  extraction, 
prominent  in  colonial  times  and  in  the  history  of  the 
Confederacy.  A touching  incident  is  related  of  her 
grandfather,  which  is  eloquent  of  his  sentiments.  He 
exclaimed,  on  meeting  President  Davis : “Let  me  clasp 
the  hand  that  was  manacled  for  us!” 

Such  are  the  ancestors  of  Miss  Holt,  who  is  the  repre- 
sentative of  her  gentle  grandmother. 

* * * 

North  Carolina  is  appropriately  presented  by  Miss 
Eliza  Arrington,  the  fair  daughter  of  Judge  and  Mrs.  T. 
W.  Arrington.  Her  father  was  the  gallant  Colonel  of 
the  Thirty-first  Alabama,  whose  kindliness  of  nature 
won  the  lasting  friendship  of  his  men.  He  was  judge  of 
the  City  Court,  in  which  office  he  served  up  to  the  close 
of  his  life.  Her  mother  has  always  been  a useful  and 
most  devoted  member  of  the  L.  M.  A.  Miss  Arrington  is 
the  granddaughter  of  Judge  George  Goldth waite,  who 
was  Adjutant-General  of  the  State,  a man  of  remarkable 
intellectuality.  Having  been  educated  at  West  Point, 
lie  was  an  efficient  and  indefatigable  officer  of  State  and 
was  the  first  United  States  Senator  elected  after  the  war. 
He  also  served  the  Confederacy  as  Assistant  Secretary 
of  War.  Miss  Arrington  is  thus  appropriately  chosen  to 
wear  the  badge  of  North  Carolina,  whence  came  so  many 
distinguished  relatives.  To  her  youth  and  sweetness  of 
character  is  united  patriotic  virtues.  Four  of  the 
Goldthwaite  brothers  fought  for  us.  Mr.  Robert  Goldth- 
waite  still  wears  the  wounds  of  honor. 


87 


Tennessee  is  most  fitly  represented  bv  Miss  Mattie 
Gilmer  Bibb,  the  daughter  of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  W.  G.  Bibb. 
Her  father  is  one  of  our  most  popular  and  successful 
physicians.  Her  mother  is  the  daughter  of  Goy.  J.  D. 
Porter  of  Tennessee.  She  is  the  granddaughter  of  Mrs. 
Martha  Dandridge  Bibb,  President  of  the  Ladies  Memo- 
rial Association,  and  of  Col.  Jos.  B.  Bibb,  of  the  Twenty 
third  Alabama,  who  fought  from  the  beginning  to  the 
end  of  the  war  with  unparalleled  devotion  to  a cause 
which  he  loved  better  than  life  itself,  for  which  he  died 
of  wounds  received  in  battle.  Such  was  his  conspicuous 
gallantry  that  when  the  regiments  were  consolidated 
with  his,  an  application  was  immediately  forwarded  by 
his  commanding  General  for  his  promotion  to  Brigadier- 
General.  He  was  only  prevented  from  receiving  this  ap- 
pointment by  the  close  of  the  war.  On  his  ancestor,  John 
Lewis’  tomb  in  Virginia,  is  inscribed : “He  gave  five 

sons  to  fight  the  battles  of  his  country.”  The  Lewises 
and  Gilmers  have  remained  true  to  the  principles  hand- 
ed down  to  them  by  noble  sires.  Her  grandsire,  “Win.  B. 
Gentleman,”  is  thus  quaintly  recorded  in  the  records  of 
the  House  of  Burgesses  and  the  convention  of  1775-76, 
a member  of  the  Committee  of  Liberty.  She  is  also  the 
great  granddaughter  of  Mrs.  Sophie  Bibb,  the  gentle 
heroine  who  still  lives  in  the  hearts  of  Confederates,  who 
was  President  of  the  Ladies’  Hospital,  which,  in  the 
words  of  her  personal  friend,  President  Davis,  was  the 
best  managed  hospital  in  the  Confederacy.  On  the  ma- 
ternal side  Mattie  Gilmer  Bibb  is  the  granddaughter  of 
Gov.  James  D.  Porter,  who  was  Adjutant-General  on  the 
staff  of  General  Cheatham,  distinguished  in  Confederate 
service,  was  Governor  of  Tennessee  two  terms,  First  As- 
sistant Secretary  of  State  during  the  first  administra- 
tion of  Cleveland  and  Minister  to  Chili  during  the  sec- 
ond. Since  his  return  Governor  Porter  has  devoted  his 
brilliant  pen  to  presenting  the  history  of  the  Confeder- 
ate soldiers  in  Tennessee,  and  is  a prominent  factor  in 
the  distribution  of  the  Peabody  Fund.  His  proudest 
and  tenderest  memories  are  of  a dear  young  brother, 
Lieut.  C.  T.  Porter,  who  gallantly  served  and  died  in  the 
Confederate  Navy.  Such  is  the  blood  that  courses  in  the 
youthful  frame  of  Mattie  Gilmer  Bibb,  who  will  wear 
the  badge  of  Tennessee  with  winsome  grace. 


83 


Kentucky  is  personated  by  the  beautiful  President  of 
the  first  and  only  Girl's  Memorial  Association,  which 
has  ever  been  organized.  Martha  E.  Bibb  is  of  distin- 
guished ancestry.  She  is  the  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Peyton  Bibb.  Her  mother  is  a highly  cultivated  lady  of 
literary  taste  and  abilit}'.  Her  father  was  one  of  the 
heroes  of  Chehaw,  the  kinsman  of  Judge  George  M.  Bibb, 
who  so  ably  represented  the  State  she  honors,  in  the  Uni 
ted  States  Senate,  and  was  made  Secretary  of  the  Treas- 
ury. She  is  the  niece  of  Lieutenant  Richard  Bibb,  who, 
inspired  by  youthful  patriotism,  left  the  University  of 
Alabama,  while  a cadet,  entered  the  First  Alabama, 
served  with  signal  gallantry  that  received  rapid  promo- 
tion to  lieutenantcy,  and  alas,  was  killed  fighting  brave- 
ly while  the  bloom  of  young  manhood  was  yet  on  his 
beardless  face!  Governor  Bradley  sent  a badge  and  the 
seal  of  Kentucky,  with  the  request  that  it  be  worn  by  the 
handsomest  lady  in  the  galaxy.  Miss  Martha  E.  Bibb 
had  already  been  selected  for  the  fair  State  of  her  hon- 
ored kinsman,  and  the  Governor’s  badge  could  not  be 
worn  more  gracefully  than  by  her,  who  is  one  of  the  fair- 
est of  fair  Alabamians. 


Missouri  is  personated  by  Miss  Alabama  Brown,  the 
daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Whiting  Brown.  She  is  the 
granddaughter  of  Col.  Thomas  Brown,  who  was  killed 
at  Woodsonville,  Ky.,  and  afterwards  brought  to  Mont- 
gomery for  reinterment.  The  sword  taken  from  his 
body  by  a Federal  officer  was  returned  to  the  family  and 
contains  the  mark  of  the  precious  blood  of  the  Southern 
patriot.  Her  paternal  ancestress,  Mrs.  John  Whiting, 
gave  woman’s  faithful  service  to  the  Confederacy.  Her 
grandmother,  Mrs.  Walter  Jackson,  who  she  represents 
as  one  of  the  first  members  of  the  Ladies’ 
Memorial  Association,  was  devoted  to  its  pur- 
poses as  long  as  she  lived.  Her  memory  is  lovingly  cher- 
ished by  its  members,  and  a large  circle  of  friends.  She 
also  represents  Mrs.  Virginia  Whiting  Hilliard,  who 
was  an  accomplished  Secretary  of  the  Ladies’  Memorial 
Association,  until  her  removal  to  Tennessee.  Missouri 
has  a comely  and  fitting  maid  to  wear  her  badge  and 
star. 


89 


These  personals  would  be  incomplete  without  special 
mention  of  Mrs.  Sophie  Bibb,  whose  ancestry  is  closely 
connected  with  the  colonial  and  Revolutionary  history 
of  the  United  States,  and  whose  own  life  was  so  much  a 
part  of  the  annals  of  the  Confederacy  that  it  cannot  be 
passed  over  silently,  when  we  unveil  a Monument  to  the 
Confederate  soldiers  of  Alabama.  She  was  the  grand- 
daughter of  General  Thomas  Lewis,  the  intimate  per- 
sonal friend  and  neighbor  of  Washington,  whose  family 
was  so  prominent  in  colonial  history  and  whose  wisdom 
and  talent  assisted  in  organizing  the  present  government 
of  the  United  States.  This  noble  descendant  of  four 
Governors  and  the  illustrious  families  which  have  served 
so  bravely  from  the  formation  of  our  colonies,  in  the 
records  of  Virginia,  Georgia  and  other  States,  had  the 
proud  satisfaction  of  seeing  the  Bibbs  and  Gilmers  rally- 
ing around  the  flag  of  the  Confederacy.  She  was  a sister 
of  Gov.  Geo.  E.  Gilmer,  of  Georgia,  a near  relative  of 
Gov.  Walker  Gilmer,  of  Virginia,  Secretary  of  the  Navy. 
Tracing  her  lineage  to  the  Washingtons,  Lewises  and  ’ 
Gilmers,  she  might  well  have  been  proud,  but  no  sweeter 
and  more  womanly  character  graces  the  long  list  of  the 
brave  women  of  the  civil  war.  Her  patriotic  devotion 
was  intense,  and  she  was  probably  the  best  known  wo- 
man in  the  Confederacy,  from  having  under  her  tender 
care  soldiers  from  all  parts  of  the  South,  who  still  rever- 
ently speak  of  her  with  affectionate  gratitude.  When 
she  could  no  longer  work  for  the  Confederacy,  she  de- 
voted herself  to  the  removal  of  the  dead  of  Alabama  from 
distant  battlefields  and  erecting  headstones  over  them. 
This  accomplished,  in  her  faithful  heart  was  the  desire 
to  erect  a monument  to  their  memory,  for  which  was 
founded  the  Ladies’  Memorial  Association,  of  which  she 
was  the  honored  and  beloved  President  until  death 
stilled  her  loving  heart!  She  was  best  beloved  for  her 
sweet  womanliness  and  Christian  consideration  for  the 
feelings  of  others  and  can  never  be  forgotten  in  the 
South. 

* * * 

Mrs.  Martha  Dandridge  Bibb,  widow  of  Col.  Joseph 
B.  Bibb,  who  was  one  of  the  bravest  of  Southern  patriots 
up  to  the  time  of  his  death  and  left  that  love  of  country 
as  a legacy  to  his  sons  whom  he  proudly  taught  the  true 
construction  of  the  Constitution,  and  the  right  of  seces- 


90 


sion  for  which  he  and  his  comrades  fought.  Mrs.  M.  D. 
Bibb  is  eminent  for  patriotic  zeal,  as  an  inheritance  from 
the  mother  she  so  fondly  loves  and  who  she  succeeded  as 
President  of  the  Ladies1  Memorial  Association.  The 
work  so  ably  performed  by  Mrs.  Sophie  Bibb  and  the 
purpose  to  which  she  devoted  her  declining  years  could 
not  have  been  more  faithfully  executed  than  they  have 
been  through  all  these  years  by  her  gifted  daughter.  She 
has  been  untiring  in  her  work  for  the  Memorial  Associa- 
tion, and  the  perpetuation  of  the  holy  memories  to  which 
the  Confederate  Monument  is  consecrated.  She  duti- 
fully attributes  her  success  in  the  work  to  the  blessed 
memories  of  her  sainted  mother.  But  there  is  more,  for 
she  has  brought  to  this  labor  of  love,  rare  executive  abil- 
ity and  magnetic  charm  which  has  contributed  largely 
to  obtaining  three  appropriations  from  the  State  and  im 
parted  enthusiasm  to  her  associates  in  the  cause,  without 
whom  she  declares  she  could  have  done  nothing.  The  un- 
veiling of  the  Confederate  Monument  is  one  of  the  proud 
est  days  of  her  life. 


91 


THE  ROLL  OF  THE  LADIES’ 
MEMORIAL  ASSOCIATION. 

CHARTER  MEMBERS. 

OFFICERS. 

Mrs.  Judge  B.  S.  Bibb,  President. 

Mrs.  Judge  J.  D.  Phelan,  Vice-President. 

Mrs.  L>r.  W.  O.  Baldwin,  Secretary. 

Rev.  Dr.  S.  D.  Cox,  Assistant  Secretary. 

Mrs.  E.  C.  Hannon,  Treasurer. 

Executive  Committee — Mrs.  Dr.  Samuel  Eambo,  Mrs. 
John  Elmore,  Mrs.  Wm.  Pollard,  Mrs.  Dr.  Wilson,  Mrs. 
tV.  J.  Bibb,  Mrs.  Mount,  Mrs.  C.  J.  Hausman,  Mrs. 
Judge  F.  Bubgee,  Mrs.  W.  B.  Bell,  Mrs.  Fort  Hargrove, 
Mrs.  James  Ware. 

OTHER  MEMBERS. 

Mrs.  Gov.  Benj.  Fitzpatrick,  Mrs.  Gov.  T.  H.  Watts, 
Mrs.  Gen.  W.  W.  Allen,  Mrs.  Gen.  J.  Clanton,  Mrs.  Gen. 
Holtzelaw,  Mrs.  Col.  John  Giudrat,  Mrs.  Col.  Jack  Tlior- 
ington,  Mrs.  Col.  J.  B.  Bibb,  Mrs.  Col.  Warren  Reese, 
Mrs.  Col.  Lomax,  Mrs.  Col.  Virgil  Murphy,  Mrs.  Col.  W. 
C.  Bibb,  Mrs.  Judge  Geo.  Goldth waite,  Mrs.  Judge  Sam- 
uel Rice,  Mrs.  Judge  T.  J.  Judge,  Mrs.  F.  M.  Gilmer, 
Mrs.  Samuel  Jones,  Mrs.  Dr.  Bellinger,  Mrs.  Dr.  W.  C. 
Jackson,  Mrs.  Dr.  S.  Holt,  Mrs.  Dr.  G.  W.  Petrie,  Mrs. 
Dr.  Semple,  Mrs.  Dr.  Keyes,  Mrs.  Dr.  Hill,  Mrs.  Dr. 
Thomas  Taylor,  Mrs.  Eliza  Moore,  Mrs.  Eliza  Ponder, 
Mrs.  Leon  Wyman,  Mrs.  Wm.  Johnson,  Mrs.  John  Whit- 
ing, Mrs.  Benj.  Micou,  Mrs.  Amanda  Snodgrass,  Mrs. 
Eliza  Brown,  Mrs.  J.  Cox,  Mrs.  Dan.  Cram,  Mrs.  S.  E. 
Hutcheson,  Mrs.  J.  Dubose  Bibb,  Mrs.  A.  Gerald,  Mrs. 
Samuel  Reid,  Mrs.  Lou  McCants,  Mrs.  James  Terry, 
Mrs.  Henry  Weil,  Mrs.  Sarah  Herron,  Mrs.  Henry  Lee, 
Mrs.  Gallatin  McGehee,  Mrs.  Sam  Marks,  Mrs.  Virginia 
Hilliard,  Mrs.  Wm.  L.  Yancey,  Miss  Louisa  S.  Bibb,  Miss 
Mary  Phelan,  Miss  Priscilla  Phelan,  Mrs.  Geo.  R.  Doran, 
Mrs.  S.  P.  Hardaway,  Mrs.  James  Stewart,  Mrs.  P.  H. 
Gayle,  Mrs.  Richard  Goldthwaite,  Mrs.  Tucker  Sayre, 
Mrs.  Wm.  Ray,  Mrs.  A.  Strassburger,  Mrs.  John  Cobbs. 


LATER  MEMBERS. 


Mrs.  Gen.  J.  W.  A.  Sanford,  Mrs.  Col.  Emmet  Seibels, 
Mrs.  Col.  T.  Arrington,  Mrs.  Gov.  T.  G.  Jones,  Mrs.  Gov. 
R.  E.  Ligon,  Mrs.  Frank  Elmore,  Mrs.  Vince  Elmore, 
Mrs.  Gen.  Allen,  Mrs.  W.  Hubbard,  Mrs.  S.  Hubbard, 
Mrs.  Dr.  A.  M.  Oliver,  Mrs.  Mollie  Oliver,  Mrs.  A.  Cam- 
eron, Mrs.  M.  Fountain,  Mrs.  Geo.  Holmes,  Mrs.  A.  H. 
Holmes,  Mrs.  Robert  Moulton,  Mrs.  Mills,  Mrs.  J.  W. 
Durr,  Mrs.  John  G.  Winter,  Mrs.  E.  P.  Morrisette,  Miss 
Maude  Winter,  Mrs.  W.  M.  Shoemaker,  Mrs.  Frank  Dun- 
can, Mrs.  T.  B.  Bethea,  Mrs.  James  Hardie,  Mrs.  M.  A. 
Benjamin,  Mrs.  Graves,  Mrs.  Clifford  Lanier,  Mrs. 
Benjamin  Harrison,  Mrs.  Paine,  Mrs.  E.  R.  Andrews, 
Mrs.  J.  H.  Lakin,  Mrs.  Win.  Smith,  Mrs.  Lucy  Matthews, 
Mrs.  Charles  Lynn,  Miss  Fanny  Matthews,  Mrs.  A.  P. 
Watt,  Miss  The.  Raoul,  Mrs.  Dr.  Dudley  Robinson,  Mrs. 
Hugh  Henry,  Mrs.  Capt.  Henry,  Mrs.  Dr.  J.  C.  Lee,  Mrs. 
Major  Clisby,  Miss  Ross,  Miss  Alice  Hereford,  Miss  Jen- 
nie Hereford,  Miss  Bettie  Bell,  Mrs.  Katie  Shepherd, 
Miss  Rosebud  Moss,  Miss  Morrisette,  Miss  Sallie  Mor- 
risette, Mrs.  Gardner,  Mrs.  E.  1*.  Alexander,  Mrs.  M.  O. 
Baldwin,  Miss  Mary  Baldwin,  Miss  Cecile  Baldwin,  Mrs. 
B.  J.  Baldwin,  Miss  Alma  Baldwin,  Mrs.  Martin  Bald- 
win, Master  A.  M.  Baldwin,  Miss  Katheriue  Baldwin, 
Miss  Jeannie  R.  Crommelin,  Mrs.  Henry  Crommelin, 
Miss  Mollie  Crommelin,  Mrs.  J.  I).  Beale,  Miss  May 
Crommelin,  Miss  Nellie  Jackson,  Mrs.  Murphy,  Mrs.  Dr. 
Johnson,  Miss  Caroline  Beale,  Miss  May  Banks,  Miss 
Stuart,  Miss  Clanton,  Miss  Mamie  Graham,  Mrs.  Frank 
Noble,  Mrs.  B.  F.  Noble,  Mrs.  W.  R.  Noble,  Mrs.  Joel 
White,  Mrs.  W.  W.  Screws,  Mrs.  Dr.  Hawthorne,  Mrs. 
F.  P.  Glass,  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Bibb,  Miss  Mary  James,  Mrs. 
W.  L.  Chambers,  Mrs.  J.  Goetter,  Mrs.  Ezekiel,  Mrs. 
Stoelker,  Mrs.  Crenshaw,  Mrs.  Patterson,  Mrs.  Craik, 
Miss  Mary  Martin  Craik,  Miss  Juliet  Craik,  Miss  Jean 
Craik,  Miss  Cecile  Craik,  Mrs.  Virginia  Clay  Clopton, 
Mrs.  M.  Gindrat,  Miss  M.  Whipple,  Mrs.  W.  Waller. 
Mrs.  Dr.  Waller,  Miss  M.  L.  Smith,  Miss  Lillie  Lee  Bell, 
Mrs.  John  Chisholm,  Mrs.  Charles  Chisholm,  Mrs.  A.  T. 
Goodwyn,  Mrs.  Dr.  Moses,  Mrs.  J.  T.  Moses,  Mrs.  Judah 
Moses,  Miss  Julia  Moses,  Mrs.  LI.  C.  Moses,  Mrs.  R. 
Moses,  Mrs.  T.  A.  Moses,  Miss  Grace  Moses,  Mrs.  Col. 
Malcolm  Graham,  Mrs.  Carraway,  Mrs.  Smythe,  Mrs. 
Win.  Pickett,  Mrs.  Capt.  Cox,  Mrs.  Jordan,  Miss  Mamie 
Hilliard,  Miss  Gunter,  Miss  W.  Cox,  Mrs.  Wm.  Garside, 


93 


Mrs.  Payne,  Mrs.  Dr.  Wilson,  Mrs.  Col.  Troy,  Mrs.  Alex 
Troy,  Mrs.  E.  Banks,  Miss  Lettie  Tyler,  Miss  T.  Tliom, 
Miss  Williams,  Mrs.  T.  G.  Foster,  Mrs.  R.  Tyler,  Mrs. 
John  F.  North ington,  Mrs.  Belle  Whatley,  Mrs.  Lynch, 
Mrs.  W.  H.  Clanton,  Miss  Fannie  Grattan,  Miss  Fannie 
Griffin,  Miss  Lizzie  Cary,  Mrs.  C.  Williams,  Mrs.  H.  A. 
Herbert,  Miss  Leila  Herbert,  Miss  Ella  Herbert,  Mrs.  F. 
Buell,  Mrs.  Thomas  Chilton,  Miss  Fannie  Lockett,  Mr. 
Dunham,  Mrs.  Dunham,  Mrs.  Reuben  Nix,  Mrs.  T.  Talia- 
ferro, Miss  Lucy  Micou,  Miss  Clara  Boykin,  Mrs.  S.  Led- 
yard,  Mrs.  E.  T.  Ledyard,  Mrs.  D.  Ledyard,  Mrs.  Dr.  R. 
Jones,  Miss  31.  Montgomery,  Mrs.  Teague,  Mrs.  T.  II. 
Watts,  Jr.,  Mrs.  Ed.  Trimble,  Miss  Janie  Eddins  Watts. 
Mrs.  Win.  Trimble,  Mrs.  Julius  Trimble,  Miss  S. 
Trimble,  Mrs.  E.  A.  Graham,  Mrs.  J.  H.  Walker,  Mrs. 
Dr.  Henry,  Mrs.  Mashburn,  .Mrs.  G.  Chappell,  Mrs.  Wm. 
Irvine,  Miss  Sue  Ponder,  Mrs.  A.  31.  Knox,  3Irs.  W.  R. 
Jones,  3Irs.  Devotie  Noble,  3Irs.  Sutherlin  Noble,  3Iiss 
3Iary  Elmore,  31iss  Laura  3Iartin  Elmore,  3Iiss  Carrie 
Jackson,  31  rs.  Wm.  Gunter,  3Iiss  Nellie  Gunter,  3Iiss 
Katie  Gammell,  3Irs.  J.  C.  Hurter,  JIrs.  J.  G.  Harris, 
Jliss  Belle  Allen,  3Iiss  Ruth  Allen,  3Iiss  Willie  Allen, 
31  iss  Hattie  Allen,  3Irs.  3Iinnie  Reese  Richardson,  3Iiss 
Laura  Reese,  Jliss  Carrie  Reese,  3Irs.  W.  F.  Vandiver, 
Airs.  James  Stewart,  3Irs.  T.  G.  Bush,  3Iiss  Mary  Led- 
yard, 3Irs.  E.  Kirk,  Mrs.  J.  33r.  Kenney,  3Irs.  J.  Strat- 
ford, 3!rs.  Henry  Booth,  Jliss  Claudia  Lewis,  3Irs.  D. 
Weil,  31rs.  J.  3V.  Kennedy,  JIrs.  Harry  Jloise,  Jliss  Rut- 
son  Hatchett,  JIrs.  J.  Abercrombie,  Mrs.  A.  31.  Henry, 
Jliss  Rebecca  Scott,  Jliss  Katie  Scott,  Jliss  Fanny 
Blount,  Jliss  Sue  Everhart,  JIrs.  Vinnie  Ream  Hoxie, 
JIrs.  F.  H.  Jlerritt,  JIrs.  F.  G.  Taylor,  JIrs.  I. 
Poliak,  JIrs.  Gillette,  JIrs.  Cowan,  JIrs.  Joseph 
Goode,  JIrs.  Wm.  Holt,  Jliss  Willie  Jlerriwether,  JIrs. 
R.  J.  Browder,  JIrs.  F.  Browder,  Jliss  Lily  Browder, 
JIrs.  Amelia  Forney  Wiley,  JIrs.  F.  31.  Billing,  JIrs.  E. 
IT.  Clopton,  JIrs.  H.  C.  Davidson,  JIrs.  R.  P.  Dexter, 
JIrs.  R.  C.  Farriss,  Mrs.  H.  31.  Hobbie,  JIrs.  L.  B.  Hal- 
lonquist,  JIrs.  IT.  C.  Houghton,  Mrs.  F.  L.  Lucas,  JIrs. 
W.  C Pope,  Jliss  Kate  L.  Stevens,  JIrs.  A.  J.  Thornton, 
JIrs.  John  C.  JIcKenzie,  JIrs.  L.  Bunkley,  Jliss  E.  Bul- 
lock, Jliss  Gussie  Cheney,  JIrs.  F.  Frankfurter,  JIrs. 
Josiah  Jlorris,  JIrs.  E.  S.  Shorter,  JIrs.  JJh  E.  Richard- 
son, JIrs.  John  Savage,  Mrs.  M.  A.  Thomas,  JIrs.  H.  L. 


04 


Frazier,  Mrs.  Alex  Clitherall,  Mrs.  Frank  Taylor,  Mrs. 

E.  Chandler,  Mrs.  Joseph  Hall,  Miss  Carrie  Hall,  Miss 
Laura  Hall,  Mrs.  Hines  Hall,  Misses  Louise  and  Laura 
Hall,  Jr.,  Mrs.  J.  K.  Hardaway,  Mrs.  Wade  McBryde, 
Miss  Stringfellow,  Mrs.  Harry  Stringfellow,  Mrs.  John 

F.  Whitfield,  Miss  Beth  Allen,  Miss  Brooke  Hatchett, 
Mrs.  G.  Allen,  Mrs.  Evie  Pierce,  Mrs.  M.  C.  Scott,  Mrs. 
John  A.  Adams,  Mrs.  IJ.  1).  French,  Miss  Katie  Burton, 
Mrs.  Dick  Williams,  Jr.,  Mrs.  W.  G.  Williamson,  Miss 
Mary  Ella  Thorington,  Mrs.  Sol.  Palmer,  Mrs.  T.  W.  De- 
Yampert,  Mrs.  Hudson  Norton,  Mrs.  Ann  G.  Scott,  Mrs. 
IL  E.  Spong,  Mrs.  B.  E.  Bolling,  Mrs.  P.  A.  Travis,  Mrs. 
George  Dreher,  Mrs.  I).  Clements,  Mrs.  Roswald,  Mrs. 
Price,  Mrs.  W.  W.  Walker,  Mrs.  B.  Wolff,  Mrs.  A.  M. 
Allen,  Mrs.  McNeil,  Mrs.  Carrie  Hall  Handy,  Miss  E. 
Baldwin  Williams,  Mrs.  W.  C.  Maxwell,  Mrs.  F.  H.  War- 
ren, Mrs.  Robert  Brown,  Mrs.  Peyton  Bibb,  Mrs.  Ed 
Jones,  Mrs.  W.  H.  Gessner,  Mrs.  R.  F.  Ligon,  Jr.,  Mrs. 
Mary  Billing  Thompson,  Mrs.  M.  Perdue,  Mrs.  Dr.  M. 
Wood,  Mrs.  Geo.  Archer,  Mrs.  W.  E.  Williams,  Mrs. 
Borg,  Mrs.  Robert  Alexander,  Mrs.  H.  M.  Matthews, 
Miss  B.  Moses,  Miss  R.  Moses,  Mrs.  F.  Baltzell,  Mrs. 
Steiner,  Mrs.  J.  B.  Cummins,  Mrs.  Geo.  Taylor,  Mrs.  C. 
P.  Ball,  Mrs.  A.  G.  Perdue,  Miss  Mary  Englehardt,  Miss 
Lucy  Jones,  Miss  Mattie  Rives,  Miss  Mamie  Bethea,  Miss* 
Alma  B.  Maxwell,  Miss  Jean  Craik  Maxwell,  Mrs.  W. 
E.  Elsberry,  Miss  Sadie  C.  Robinson,  Mrs.  Kate  Watts 
Collins,  Mrs.  John  Watts,  Mrs.  W.  T.  Campbell,  Mrs. 
H.  P.  Screws,  Mrs.  C.  T.  Pollard,  Mrs.  Capt.  Powell, 
Mrs.  F.  Pitman,  Miss  Mattie  IT.  Tompkins,  Mrs.  E. 
Glazier,  Mrs.  Florence  Tarrant,  Mrs.  Bryan,  Mrs.  Mc- 
Grath, Mrs.  Mitchell,  Mrs.  W.  T.  Robertson,  Mrs.  Craig 
Smith,  Mrs.  Sallie  H.  Janney,  Mrs.  A.  G.  Forbes,  Mrs. 
Emma  Glover,  Mrs.  C.  Reading,  Mrs.  T.  W.  Hunter, 
Mrs.  Harrell,  Mrs.  E.  Randolph,  Mrs.  W.  Osbourne,  Mrs. 
James  Farley,  Mrs.  J.  Campbell,  Mrs.  Spencer  Marks, 
Mrs.  Dr.  Pollard,  Mrs.  Dr.  Rives,  Mrs.  W.  Jones,  Mrs.  R. 
Felder,  Mrs.  T.  Oliver,  Mrs.  Dr.  Oliver,  Mrs.  J.  Rhea, 
Mrs.  Major  Wallace,  Mrs.  Foreacre,  Mrs.  Ann  H. 
Holmes,  Mrs.  Geo.  Holmes,  Mrs.  Capt.  Bragg,  Mrs.  Neu- 
mann, Mrs.  Myers,  Mrs.  Blakey,  Mrs.  G.  E.  Allen,  Mrs. 
Armstrong,  Mrs.  Burke,  Mrs.  J.  Pierce,  Mrs.  R.  S.  Wil- 
liams, Mrs.  Jeannie  Smith,  Miss  Gussie  Woodruff,  Mrs. 
E.  Woodruff,  Mrs.  D.  Semple,  Mrs.  Dr.  Hearn,  Mrs.  E. 


95 


R.  Dillard,  Mrs.  T.  O.  Glasscock,  Mrs.  C.  Gilmer,  Mrs. 
W.  R.  Pickett,  Mrs.  E.  Harrison,  Mrs.  E.  Reynolds,  Mrs. 
Dr.  Law,  Mrs.  Willie  Taylor,  Mrs.  J.  A.  Reeves,  Mrs. 
John  A.  Kirkpatrick,  Mrs.  F.  G.  Taylor,  Mrs.  B.  M. 
Washburn,  Mrs.  A.  J.  Thornton,  Mrs.  A.  Taylor,  Miss 
Joscelyn  Ockenden,  Mrs.  J.  W.  A.  Sanford,  Jr.,  Mrs. 
Blakey,  Mrs.  Jonas,  Mrs.  Maj.  Hester,  Mrs.  J.  Powell, 
Mrs.  William  Mieou,  Mrs.  J.  M.  De  Cottes,  Mrs.  Gen. 
Wm.  C.  0(\tes,  Mrs.  Col.  A.  A.  Wiley. 

The  present  officers  are: 

Mrs.  M.  D.  Bibb,  President. 

Mrs.  J.  C.  Hausman,  Vice-President. 

Mrs.  I.  M.  P.  Ockenden,  Secretary-Treasurer. 

Total,  463  members. 


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